Lyon Faces Political Cohabitation After 2026 Municipal Elections
Lyon, France – March 23, 2026 – Following the second round of the 2026 municipal elections held on Sunday, March 22, the city of Lyon finds itself in a period of political cohabitation. The incumbent Green mayor, Grégory Doucet, secured re-election for Lyon City Hall, while the Right-wing coalition, led by Véronique Sarselli, gained control of the Métropole de Lyon. This outcome sets the stage for a potentially challenging political landscape in the coming years.
Greens Retain City Hall Amidst a Challenging Election Cycle
Six years after the “green wave” that saw them win several mayoralties, the Ecologists faced significant losses in the second round of the municipal elections. However, Grégory Doucet, allied with La France Insoumise, managed to retain the city of Lyon with 50.67% of the vote, fending off a challenge from Jean-Michel Aulas, the former president of Olympique Lyonnais, who initially contested the results. Despite this victory, the overall picture for the Greens is not entirely positive.
Right-Wing Coalition Takes Control of the Métropole de Lyon
In contrast to 2020, the Ecologists lost control of the Métropole de Lyon. The outgoing president, Bruno Bernard, will be succeeded by Véronique Sarselli of Les Républicains (LR). The “Grand cœur Lyonnais” movement, founded by Aulas and comprising candidates from MoDem to LR, Renaissance, and Horizons, secured 92 out of 150 seats on the Métropole Council. Bruno Bernard’s lists obtained 49 seats, the National Rally (RN) 5, La France Insoumise (LFI) 3, and a diverse left list 1 seat. This shift in power at the metropolitan level is far from anecdotal, given the Métropole’s significant influence.
The Métropole de Lyon: A Powerful Entity
Established in 2015, the Métropole de Lyon, which encompasses 58 communes and 1.4 million inhabitants, is the only urban community in France where the assembly is directly elected by universal suffrage. Its powers far exceed those of the municipalities, including the city of Lyon itself. This explains why Gérard Collomb, mayor of Lyon for nearly two decades, unsuccessfully ran for the Métropole rather than City Hall in 2020.
The Métropole boasts considerably greater resources and responsibilities. Its annual budget is nearly four billion euros, compared to less than 1.2 billion for the city of Lyon. It has also taken over some of the Rhône department’s responsibilities, managing economic development, roads, colleges, and social welfare.
Implications of Cohabitation: Divergent Agendas
Gautier Chapuis, Grégory Doucet’s deputy, previously highlighted the close ties between the city’s and the Métropole’s responsibilities in daily urban life. He stated that “the city manages parks, gardens, municipal police, and schools. The Métropole holds public transport, colleges, water management, and all social policies. Therefore, cohabitation between the city and the Métropole would be very difficult. The general interest could suffer.”
The Ecologists’ fears have now materialized. For the next six or seven years, the Métropole de Lyon and the city of Lyon will not be politically aligned. This situation will undoubtedly reduce Grégory Doucet’s room for maneuver, whose campaign focused on housing, health, and security.
Conversely, parts of Jean-Michel Aulas’s program, despite his defeat in the mayoral race, could now be implemented. Véronique Sarselli, Aulas’s ally, has pledged to challenge several of Bruno Bernard’s structural projects, such as a tramway in western Lyon, preferring a metro line instead. She also aims to review certain traffic regulation measures. Accusing the outgoing majority of pursuing a “dogmatic car hunt,” Sarselli intends to reopen certain roads to motorists and construct an eight-kilometer underground tunnel beneath the city. The coming years in Lyon are therefore expected to be marked by significant political agitation and potential policy clashes.
