New Paris mayor Emmanuel Grégoire says he is planning a housing revolution in the French capital following his electoral success last week.
The Socialist Party candidate, and one of several former deputy mayors under the previous administration, was backed by a broad left-wing alliance including the Greens and Communists, obtaining 50.52% of the vote in the second round.
The alliance helped Mr Grégoire to comfortably defeat right-wing rival Rachida Dati (who had united with centrist candidate Pierre-Yves Bournazel) and far-left Sophia Chikirou in the second round of elections on Sunday (March 22).
His victory cements the capital as a left-wing city, which has been controlled by Socialist mayors since 2001.
“Paris has decided to remain true to its history,” Mr Grégoire said in his victory speech.
“[The city] will be the heart of the resistance against this right-wing alliance that seeks to take from you what we hold most precious and most fragile: the simple joy of living together.”
Housing changes
The cornerstone of the new mayor’s manifesto is the promise to massively expand social housing in the city. Top of the agenda of the new administration are plans to create 60,000 new social housing units, particularly in the city’s western suburbs (the majority of social housing is currently located in the east).
New homes will partially come from converted empty office buildings.
Up to 35,000 social housing units will be fully renovated to be more eco-friendly, with a further 200,000 private units able to access local aid to help with eco-renovations through a ‘prime climat’ scheme.
Ban on second homes
Alongside the expansion in social housing, the incoming mayor also wants a ban on new second homes in the city.
“In Paris, one in five homes is vacant or unoccupied, representing nearly 300,000 apartments, half of which are second homes. In a city as dense as Paris, it is unacceptable that millions of square meters of housing are empty,” says the mayor’s manifesto.
Residents will be able to benefit from a city home insurance policy – available to all – which will include cover against bedbug infestations.
Finally, a rental guarantee scheme aiding both tenants and landlords in finding suitable candidates will be introduced, based on the nationwide ‘Visale’ scheme.
“Landlords who put a property back on the market that was not previously rented out on a long-term basis will be eligible for guarantees against unpaid rent or damages. In return, they must guarantee tenants easier access to housing, through anonymous applications to combat discrimination and without requiring guarantors,” says Mr Grégoire’s manifesto.
Limited jurisdiction
It is worth noting that Mr Grégoire is only mayor of the city proper (its 20 main arrondissements) and its 2 million or so inhabitants, and not the 14 million plus in the wider urban area of the capital.
Unlike in cities such as London or New York, where mayors have jurisdiction over the wider suburban areas – Sadiq Khan is mayor of ‘Greater London’ for example – communes in the Paris suburbs each have their own mayor, fully separate from the city’s administration.
You can see mayoral victories in the suburbs – and anywhere else in France – using our article here.
Victory follows two terms under Anne Hidalgo
Mr Grégoire both benefitted and was hindered by the policies of – and his relationship to – predecessor Anne Hidalgo.
The former mayor was often criticised by local and national media, and a woeful performance during the 2022 presidential elections in which she gained only 1.75% of the vote painted her as a nationally unpopular politician.
Her policies to make Paris less car-centric were panned by residents and critics alike, with rival candidates in the 2026 mayoral elections looking to overturn some of the policies, including the introduction of largely car-free zones in the city centre amid claims Mr Grégoire would continue to follow in her footsteps.
Mrs Hidalgo also openly criticised Mr Grégoire after their relationship soured following his decision to stand in the 2024 legislative elections and limit his role as a deputy mayor, telling reporters she believed he did not have the tenacity required to be mayor of the French capital.
However, within the city her projects to improve green spaces, make the Seine swimmable, and overseeing the globally lauded 2024 Paris Olympics allowed Mr Grégoire to position himself as a continuity candidate.
Indeed, policies to further pedestrianise the capital – with the goal of 1,000 of the capital’s 6,500 streets being car-free by the end of Mr Grégoire’s term – are in place.
It will also be easier for groups to make partial pedestrianisation requests when certain events, such as major sporting events, are taking place.
Residents who drive will be able to benefit from plans to standardise underground parking spaces owned by the city, with reduced rates for citizens of the capital. Meanwhile, non-resident cars will need to park in dedicated ‘tourist’ spots.
Public transport and education
Other campaign promises include an overhaul of after-school care.
A drive to recruit more permanent staff (only around 1,800 of the current 14,000 or so workers in the sector are full-time) comes after reports of abuse by workers in the childcare sector. “No child will ever be left alone with an adult, in order to make the conditions for abuse impossible,” says Mr Grégoire’s manifesto.
Cyclists will see a further rollout of bike-lane infrastructure (largely based on the cycling plan introduced under Mrs Hidalgo, currently only 40% implemented), with each arrondissement benefitting from its own cycling school.
A rental scheme for bikes is also set to be introduced, covering a number of bikes including ‘vélos-cargos’ often used by families with children.
Planned improvements in public transport will see the introduction of 15 ‘super bus routes’, with buses every five minutes during rush hour and bus-only lanes for part of the journey.
These routes will be 100% accessible and have ‘super priority’ at roundabouts and other bottlenecks.
Major expansions to the Paris metro network are already underway including four new lines, meaning further upgrates are not included in Mr Grégoire’s manifesto.
However, it does commit to keeping free and reduced ‘Navigo’ city public transport passes for certain groups including disabled, elderly, and young passengers.
Police expansion
In a bid to improve public safety, Mr Grégoire proposes to hire 1,000 additional municipal police officers, as well as the creation of police ‘kiosks’. These kiosks– at least one per arrondissement, and in high crime hotspots and busy areas – will be staffed 24/7 by around five to six officers.
“One of the keys is recognizing that a visible police presence on the ground certainly doesn’t solve everything, but it remains extremely effective against crime. We need a police presence on the ground,” says Mr Grégoire’s manifesto.
In addition, 5,000 new CCTV cameras will be introduced alongside an ‘anti-incivilities’ police brigade. The city recently presented a budget surplus of €780 million in 2025, with Mr Grégoire noting city finances as healthy during his tenure.
No commitments were made on changing or locking property taxes (taxe foncière) outside of national increases, although the manifesto states that “Paris's property tax rate remains the lowest compared to all major cities.”
This is despite a 50% increase to the tax for residents in 2023.
More information on other plans during Mr Grégoire’s tenure including cultural events is available on his website.
