Emmanuel Grégoire, a Socialist long involved in local politics, becomes Paris' new mayor

PARIS,March 23, (AP): Emmanuel Grégoire, a Socialist little known to the French public, was elected mayor of Paris in a runoff vote Sunday, succeeding fellow party member Anne Hidalgo. Soon after claiming victory, Grégoire, 48, took a city bike through the streets of Paris toward City Hall, echoing his promise to make the French capital greener.

Grégoire beat out prominent conservative contender Rachida Dati, who acknowledged her defeat after partial results were made public. The race for Paris mayor was part of France’s second round of municipal elections. Sunday's vote showed clear gains for the traditional left and right, and one major win for the far right in the French Riviera city of Nice. Long a discreet figure in French politics, Grégoire had for years worked by Hidalgo’s side.

Hidalgo was elected in 2014 and reelected in 2020 but chose not to seek a third six-year term after leading the city through the 2015 extremist attacks and the 2024 Paris Olympics. Grégoire was well-placed to step into the limelight when Hidalgo decided not to seek a third term.

He had joined the Socialist party at 24 in 2002, got involved in Paris politics and eight years later became the chief of staff of Paris’ then-mayor, Bertrand Delanoë. Grégoire subsequently worked in the prime minister’s office under Socialist President Francois Hollande.

He was first elected to the Paris City Council in 2014 and became Hidalgo’s first deputy mayor from 2018 to 2024, overlooking key portfolios, including budget, urban policies and public services.

In 2024, he was elected a lawmaker to the National Assembly and last year launched his bid to succeed Hidalgo. "An advantage we have is that we know Parisians very well,” Grégoire told The Associated Press ahead of the election.

"I believe that in politics, it’s healthy when grassroots work pays off more than social media” he said - a stab at his rival Dati, known for her outspoken style and being a regular guest in television shows. Grégoire recently revealed publicly he had been a victim of abuse while in elementary school between the ages of 9 and 10.