Paris Municipal Election Lists Finalized
Candidate lists for the upcoming March municipal elections in Paris are now available for the 14th and 15th arrondissements. Voters will elect the Council of Paris, which in turn will select the next Mayor of the city. The finalization of the candidate lists marks a key step as the local elections loom.
- A new two-vote system will be implemented for the March 15 and 22 elections; Parisians will cast one ballot for their arrondissement councilors and a separate one for the Council of Paris, which will then elect the city's mayor. - Rachida Dati, a leading mayoral candidate from the right-wing Les Républicains party and current national Minister of Culture, has recently launched initiatives to support emerging fashion designers, including providing grants, residencies at Villa Medici in Rome, and access to prestigious venues for shows during Paris Fashion Week. As minister, she has also bestowed the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres on numerous luxury and fashion professionals, including the artistic directors of Balmain and Cartier, and the CEO of Kering. - Mayoral candidate Emmanuel Grégoire of the Socialist Party is campaigning on a platform of "hyper-local" governance and enhancing the city's aesthetic appeal, proposing to protect historic facades, repurpose unused public kiosks for artisans, and add new public art spaces. His "Paris in Grand" manifesto also emphasizes making the city more livable and affordable to counter the displacement of residents by real estate speculation. - Centrist mayoral candidate Pierre-Yves Bournazel is focused on increasing Paris's global attractiveness for businesses and talent, proposing the creation of a dedicated committee of business leaders to advise the city and a plan to make Paris a leader in innovation. He has also been a vocal advocate for the protection of French cultural heritage and has opposed new taxes on art. - In the 14th arrondissement, incumbent mayor Carine Petit of The Ecologists party has a track record of supporting large-scale urban renewal projects with a focus on community and cultural spaces, such as the "Grands Voisins" project which temporarily transformed a former hospital into a vibrant hub. - The incumbent mayor of the 15th arrondissement, Philippe Goujon of Les Républicains, has focused on enhancing the area's cultural attractiveness, launching studies for new arts spaces like the "Carré-Brassens-Brancion" and supporting the renovation of existing libraries. He also initiated "Paris Business 15" to federate and support local economic actors. - Key city-wide issues shaping the election include a severe housing crisis, with all major candidates proposing measures to increase housing stock and control rents, and public safety, which has become a top concern for Parisian voters. These issues will influence the city's ability to attract and retain creative talent. - The candidate lists for the local arrondissement elections are now set, with voters in the 14th arrondissement choosing between incumbent Carine Petit and challengers such as Maud Gatel and Rodrigo Arenas. In the 15th, incumbent Philippe Goujon faces rivals including Anouch Toranian and Catherine Ibled.
