Paris Has a New Mayor. And He Rode to City Hall Without a Helmet.

A profile with five questions.

Emmanuel Gregoire, Paris mayoral candidate for the Socialist party and head of the "left-wing coalition" list (La Gauche unie), waves as he arrives to deliver a speech after early results suggested he won the second round of the French mayoral election in Paris, France, March 22, 2026. Photo by Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters

He cycled to City Hall on a Vélib’. No helmet. No motorcade. No aide jogging alongside with a briefing note.

On Sunday, 22 March 2026, Emmanuel Grégoire won the Paris mayoral race with just over 50% of the vote, succeeding fellow Socialist Anne Hidalgo as mayor of the French capital. He beat veteran conservative Rachida Dati, who finished with 41.5%, and hard-left candidate Sophia Chikirou, who came in at around 8%. In the end, it wasn’t even close.