French municipal elections see alliances forming in major cities

The first round of France's 2026 municipal elections has taken place in Paris, Lyon, and Marseille. No candidate secured an outright majority in the mayoral races, forcing a second round of voting.

In Paris, political maneuvering for alliances is underway. Rachida Dati and Pierre-Yves Bournazel have formed a right-wing alliance. On the left, Emmanuel Grégoire and Sophia Chikirou have not united. Sarah Knafo, a candidate, has publicly appealed to Rachida Dati to accept a political deal.