2020 Paris municipal election

Municipal elections took place in Paris on 15 March 2020,[1] alongside other French municipal elections. The second round, which was originally scheduled to be held on 22 March 2020, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in France.[2][3] The second round then took place on 28 June 2020, which saw Hidalgo re-elected as Mayor of Paris.[4][5]

2020 Paris municipal election

15 March 2020 (first round) 28 June 2020 (second round)
All 163 members of the Council of Paris
Leader Anne Hidalgo Rachida Dati Party PS LR
Incumbent Mayor Anne Hidalgo PS

Background

See also: COVID-19 pandemic in France

In the 2014 Paris municipal election, Anne Hidalgo of the Socialist Party was elected mayor of Paris, becoming the first woman to hold that position.[6] She had previously served as deputy mayor during Bertrand Delanoë's tenure as mayor.[7] Hidalgo won with around 55% of the vote in the second round, defeating Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet of the UMP who had finished ahead of her in the first round of voting.[8]

While Emmanuel Marcron's La République En Marche! won 12 of the 18 Paris constituencies during the 2017 French legislative election, the incumbent Anne Hidalgo still retained a narrow lead in polling, even with criticism over the aborted Autolib' carsharing scheme and the debt increase over her term.[9] Also, while LREM initially picked Benjamin Griveaux to run[10], another major LREM candidate, mathematician Cédric Villani, chose to continue and officially announced his candidacy on 9 September[11]. Macron was reported to have asked Villani to unite behind Griveaux on 26 January to avoid vote splitting, which Villani refused, partially seeing his candidacy as "faithful to the LREM spirit" of grassroots politics.[12][13] Villani, while of similar popularity to Griveaux, was considered unlikely to win.[14][15]

On 14 February, Benjamin Griveaux withdrew from the election after leaked sexts allegedly between him and another woman were leaked 48 hours earlier, stating that "For more than a year, my family and I have been subjected to defamatory remarks, lies, rumours, anonymous attacks, the revelation of stolen private conversations and death threats. As if all this was not enough, yesterday a new level was reached.” This was arguably unusual, with the French public largely seen as apathetic to politicians and extramarital affairs (an example being François Mitterrand). The leak was condemned on all sides of politics, far left Jean-Luc Mélenchon saying that "“The publication of intimate images to destroy an adversary is odious,” far right Marine Le Pen suggesting that Griveaux shouldn't have stepped down; Socialist Mayor Anne Hidalgo saying that "Parisians deserve a dignified debate", and Villani tweeting that “The attack he has been subject to is a serious threat to our democracy". It has been seen as an intrusion into private life that is considered off limits, with Alexis Corbière of the La France Insoumise called the "Americanisation" of politics, where “people have to apologise for having lovers or mistresses”. Petr Pavlensky, who released the link states it was to expose his hypocrisy, quoted as saying “He [Griveaux] is someone who is always mentioning family values. He said he would be the mayor of Paris families and citing the example of his wife and children, while doing the opposite.” Griveaux's private lawyer has reported that he will press charges.[16][17][18]

The first round of municipal elections in France took place on 15 March 2020 against the backdrop of the government decision to move to Stage III of measures to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic. Stringent restrictions on public life involving the closure of bars, restaurants and other businesses considered non-essential were set to begin the following day.[19] Then-Health Minister, Agnès Buzyn, resigned on 16 February 2020 to run for the Paris mayor as the official candidate of LREM.[20] She is succeeded by Olivier Véran, a neurologist. The decision to press ahead with the election was justified as being critical to democratic life in the country, despite concerns about when a second round could be held as the toll of infections and deaths continued to rise.[19] In the end, the turnout of registered voters was 40%, lower than in 1971 – the previous record for lowest turnout.[19]

Process

Main article: Council of Paris

The municipal elections are held independently in each of Paris's 20 boroughs (ie arrondissements) (with the central four regrouped into the Paris Centre sector). On the first round, if a list wins an overall majority, the seats are apportioned. If no list reaches an overall majority, then a second round is organized. Any list below the 5% threshold is directly eliminated, and any list below the 10% threshold cannot qualify itself for the runoff (lists between 5% and 10% are still allowed to merge with other lists above 10%). Lists above the 10% threshold are qualified for the runoff, in which the seats are apportioned between all lists above the threshold of 5% of the votes. In the seats apportionment, half of the seats are automatically given to the list winning the plurality as a majority bonus, and the rest of the seats are apportioned proportionally.

The elections are held onto two levels: the borough level, and the municipal level. The seats are apportioned using the same rules and the same ballots, so a candidate can be elected to both borough councilor and municipal councilor (and take both offices). Usually, the list winning the plurality in a borough, after receiving an overall majority of the seats (due to the majority bonus), elects its head of list to sit as borough mayor.

Finally, the Council of Paris elects the mayor in three rounds, needing an absolute majority in the first two rounds, or a plurality in the third round if needed.

Polls

First round

2020

Polling firm	Fieldwork date	Sample size	Abs.	None LO	Simonnet FI–REV	Hidalgo PS–PCF–PP	Belliard EELV	Gantzer Parisiennes, Parisiens	Villani REM–PRG	Buzyn REM–MR–UDI	Griveaux REM–MR–UDI	Bournazel Agir	Dati LR	Saint-Just RN	Federbusch RN	Campion Libérons Paris	Other
2020 election	15 Mar 2020	–	57.70%	0.59%	4.57%	29.33%	10.79%	0.49%	7.10%	18.04%	–	–	22.72%	–	1.47%	0.45%	4.45%
Ifop-Fiducial	5–13 Mar 2020	1,424	11.4%	–	5%	25.5%	11.5%	–	7%	19%	–	–	24%	–	3.5%	1%	3.5%
OpinionWay (for REM)	11–12 Mar 2020	1,420	13%	<1%	6%	24%	11%	–	5%	20%	–	–	26%	–	3%	1%	4%
Ifop-Fiducial	5–10 Mar 2020	1,101	–	–	5%	26%	11%	–	7.5%	18%	–	–	24%	–	3.5%	1%	4%
Ipsos	6–9 Mar 2020	950	5%	1%	4.5%	26%	11%	0.5%	7%	19%	–	–	23%	–	4%	0.5%	3.5%
OpinionWay	6 Mar 2020	?	?	<1%	6%	23%	13%	–	6%	18%	–	–	26%	–	3%	1%	4%
Ipsos	5–6 Mar 2020	1,000	4%	1%	4%	25%	12%	0.5%	7%	19%	–	–	24%	–	4%	0.5%	3.5%
BVA	2–6 Mar 2020	1,202	–	0.5%	4%	24%	12%	0.5%	7%	19%	–	–	25%	–	4%	1%	3.5%
Harris Interactive	28 Feb–2 Mar 2020	1,119	–	1%	5%	24%	11%	–	8%	17%	–	–	25%	–	4%	0.5%	4.5%
Ifop-Fiducial	25–28 Feb 2020	946	–	–	5%	24%	11%	–	8%	20%	–	–	25%	–	3.5%	0.5%	3%
Elabe	23–28 Feb 2020	1,001	5%	–	5%	24%	9.5%	–	10.5%	18.5%	–	–	25%	–	4%	1.5%	2%
Ifop-Fiducial	17–21 Feb 2020	976	–	–	6%	24%	12%	0.5%	9%	19%	–	–	22%	–	3.5%	1%	3%
Ipsos	18–19 Feb 2020	1,000	4%	1%	5%	24%	13%	1.5%	9%	19%	–	–	20%	–	4%	1%	2.5%
Harris Interactive	17–19 Feb 2020	1,092	15%	1%	6%	23%	13%	1%	10%	17%	–	–	23%	–	5%	1%	–
Odoxa	17–19 Feb 2020	809	15%	–	7%	23%	14%	1%	7%	17%	–	–	25%	–	4%	2%	–
Odoxa	21–23 Jan 2020	916	14%	2%	4%	23%	14.5%	2%	10%	–	16%	–	20%	–	6%	0.5%	2%
Ifop	13–17 Jan 2020	955	–	1%	5%	25%	14%	1%	13%	–	15%	–	19%	–	5%	0.5%	2.5%
			–	1%	5%	25%	14%	0.5%	12%	–	16%	3%	17%	–	5%	0.5%	2%
Odoxa	14–20 Jan 2020	879	18%	1%	8%	24%	13%	1%	11%	–	16%	3%	18%	–	5%	1%	1%

2018–19

Polling firm	Fieldwork date	Sample size	Abs.	None LO	Simonnet FI–REV	Hidalgo PS–PCF–PP	Belliard EELV	Gantzer Parisiennes, Parisiens	Villani REM–PRG	Mahjoubi REM–MR–UDI	Renson REM–MR–UDI	Griveaux REM–MR–UDI	Bournazel Agir	Berthout LR	Dati LR	Saint-Just RN	Federbusch RN	Campion Libérons Paris	Other
Ifop (for Villani)	2–6 Dec 2019	1,043	16.7%	1%	6%	22.5%	12.5%	–	14%	–	–	17%	4%	–	17%	–	5%	0.5%	1.5%
Ifop (for Villani)	4–8 Nov 2019	1,055	–	1%	5.5%	22%	15.5%	1%	12%	–	–	16%	4%	–	16%	–	5.5%	0.5%	2%
OpinionWay (for Griveaux)	4–12 Nov 2019	2,942	15%	–	7%	19%	13%	2%	12%	–	–	18%	4%	–	16%	–	7%	2%	–
Ipsos	17–20 Sep 2019	815	8%	1%	6%	26%	12%	1%	–	–	–	26%	6%	–	14%	–	6%	2%	–
			6%	1%	6%	24%	11%	1%	15%	–	–	19%	4%	–	13%	–	5%	1%	–
Ifop-Fiducial	9–12 Sep 2019	968	–	0.5%	5%	24%	13%	1%	15%	–	–	17%	5%	–	14%	–	4%	–	1.5%
Ifop (for Villani)	20–27 Jun 2019	951	13.4%	1%	6%	22%	15%	2%	26%	–	–	–	6%	–	15%	5%	–	1%	1%
			12.8%	1%	5%	24%	14%	2%	–	–	–	27%	5%	–	16%	5%	–	–	1%
BVA	6–11 Jun 2019	1,294	6%	1.5%	5%	21%	13%	3%	–	22%	–	–	6%	–	16%	5%	–	1%	6.5%
			5%	1.5%	5%	21%	13%	3%	25%	–	–	–	5%	–	15%	5%	–	1%	5.5%
			6%	1.5%	5%	21%	13%	3%	–	–	–	25%	5%	–	15%	5%	–	1%	5.5%
Elabe	28–31 Mar 2019	999	–	1.5%	8.5%	25%	8.5%	3.5%	21%	–	–	–	4.5%	14.5%	–	5%	–	1.5%	6.5%
			–	2.5%	6.5%	22%	7.5%	4.5%	20%	–	–	–	4.5%	–	21%	4.5%	–	1.5%	5.5%
			–	1%	8%	22%	10%	6.5%	–	17.5%	–	–	5.5%	16.5%	–	4.5%	–	1.5%	7%
			–	1%	8.5%	21%	10.5%	4.5%	–	14%	–	–	5%	–	23%	5%	–	1.5%	6%
			–	1.5%	9%	21.5%	10%	4.5%	–	–	–	23%	4%	15%	–	4.5%	–	1.5%	5.5%
			–	1%	8.5%	22%	9.5%	4%	–	–	–	21%	5%	–	19.5	4.5	–	0.5	4.5
Ifop-Fiducial	14–21 Mar 2019	956	22.6%	1%	8%	25%	10%	4.5%	–	–	–	23%	4.5%	14%	–	7%	–	1%	2%
			21.8%	1%	8%	24%	10%	5%	20%	–	–	–	6%	–	15%	6.5%	–	1%	3.5%
			22.8%	1%	8%	23%	11%	5%	–	20%	–	–	7%	–	15%	6%	–	1%	3%
			21.4%	1%	8%	24%	10%	3%	–	–	–	22%	7%	–	16%	6%	–	1%	2%
ViaVoice (for REM)	7–25 Jan 2019	817	–	3%	8%	24%	13%	–	–	–	–	28%	–	17%	–	4%	–	–	3%
Ifop	12–14 Sep 2018	944	20.4%	2%	7%	24%	8%	5%	–	20%	–	–	–	23%	–	6%	–	1%	4%
			23.7%	2%	7%	25%	11%	5%	–	–	17%	–	–	22%	–	6%	–	1%	4%
			19.5%	1%	7%	23%	9%	4%	–	–	–	23%	–	21%	–	6%	–	2%	4%

March 2018

Polling firm	Fieldwork date	Sample size	Abs.	None LO	Simonnet FI–REV	Hidalgo PS–PCF–PP	Belliard EELV	Griveaux REM–MR–UDI	Berthout LR	Saint-Just RN
Ifop-Fiducial	19–22 Mar 2018	973	–	2%	12%	39%		40%		7%
			–	2%	12%	41%			38%	7%
			–	1%	11%	29%		32%	21%	6%

Second round

Polling firm	Fieldwork date	Sample size	Abs.	Hidalgo PS–PCF–PP	Belliard EELV	Villani REM–PRG	Buzyn REM–MR–UDI	Griveaux REM–MR–UDI	Dati LR	Other
2020 election	28 Jun 2020	–	63.30%	48.49%		0.94%	13.04%	–	34.31%	3.22%
Ifop-Fiducial	22–26 Jun 2020	925	–	44%		–	18%	–	35%	3%
Elabe	19–23 Jun 2020	1,001	8%	44%		0.5%	18%	–	35%	2.5%
BVA	12–18 Jun 2020	1,200	9%	45%		0.5%	18%	–	34%	2.5%
Ifop-Fiducial	2–5 Jun 2020	974	–	44%		–	20%	–	33%	3%
Ifop-Fiducial	5–13 Mar 2020	1,424	16.8%	41%		27%		–	32%	–
Ifop-Fiducial	5–10 Mar 2020	1,101	–	41%		26%		–	33%	–
Ipsos	6–9 Mar 2020	950	–	42%		26%		–	32%	–
Ipsos	5–6 Mar 2020	1,000	–	42%		26%		–	32%	–
Ifop-Fiducial	25–28 Feb 2020	946	–	39%		28%		–	33%	–
			–	37%		9%	22%	–	32%	–
Elabe	23–28 Feb 2020	1,001	–	29.5%	12%	–	27.5%	–	31%	–
			–	36%		10.5%	23%	–	30.5%	–
			–	37%		29.5%		–	33.5%	–
Ifop-Fiducial	17–21 Feb 2020	976	–	40%		28%		–	32%	–
			–	38%		11%	21%	–	30%	–
Odoxa	17–19 Feb 2020	809	21%	33%	33%			–	34%	–
			20%	42%		25%		–	33%	–
			20%	38%		10%	20%	–	32%	–
Odoxa	21–23 Jan 2020	916	20%	40%		29%			31%	–
			20%	39%		15%	–	19%	27%	–
Ifop	13–17 Jan 2020	955	–	41%		17%	–	20%	22%	–
Ifop (for Villani)	20–27 Jun 2019	951	17.4%	49%	–	51%	–	–	–	–
			15.4%	51%	–	–	–	49%	–	–
			13.8%	40%	–	38%	–	–	22%	–
			14.1%	41%	–	–	–	37%	22%	–

Results

The first round of the 2020 Paris Mayoral election saw incumbent mayor Anne Hidalgo, a Socialist, comfortably ahead with 30% of the vote.[1] Her closest rival, conservative Rachida Dati, won 22%, while 17.7% was garnered by French President Emmanuel Macron’s official candidate, former health minister Agnes Buzyn.[1] A dissident from Macron's party, Cedric Villani, won 8%.[1] Hidalgo was re-elected as Mayor of Paris in the second round after receiving 50.2 percent of the vote.[21]

This list presents the 163 councillors of Council of Paris elected in the 2014 Paris municipal election.[22]

2020 Parisian Municipal Election

Party or Parties		List	Lead Candidate	First Round		Second Round		Seats
				Votes	%	Votes	%
	Socialist Party - French Communist Party - Place Publique - Génération.s - Allons Enfants	Anne Hidalgo, Paris en commun	Anne Hidalgo	162,219	29.3%	224,790	48.49	73
	The Republicans - Les Centristes - Objectif France	Engagés pour changer Paris, avec Rachida Dati	Rachida Dati	125,639	22.7%	159,059	34.31	58
	La République en marche - Agir - Mouvement démocrate Mouvement radical - Union des démocrates et indépendants	Ensemble pour Paris avec Agnès Buzyn	Agnès Buzyn	99,767	17.3%	60,470	13.04	8
	Europe Écologie Les Verts	L'Écologie pour Paris avec David Belliard	David Belliard	55,649	10.8%			23
	Dissidents La République en marche	Le Nouveau Paris	Cédric Villani	39,259	7.8%
	La France insoumise - Révolution écologique pour le vivant	Décidons Paris	Danielle Simonnet et Vikash Dhorasoo	25,271	4.6%			1
	Dissidents Les Républicains	-	-	19,385	3.5%
	Rassemblement National - Debout la France	Aimer Paris	Serge Federbusch	8,114	1.5%
	Lutte Ouvrière	Lutte ouvrière – Faire entendre le camp des travailleurs	-	3,264	0.6%
	Divers Gauche	Parisiennes, Parisiens	-	2,693	0.5%
	Sans étiquette	Libérons Paris	Marcel Campion	2,509	0.5%
	Soyons libres	-	-	2,493	0.5%
	Autres divers	-	-	1,075	0.2%
	Parti ouvrier indépendant démocratique	Non à la privatisation de Paris – POID	-	603	0.1%
	Autres dissidents La République en marche	-	-	324	0.05%
	Sans étiquette	Pari(s) citoyen	Christophe Berkani	224	0.04%
	Union populaire républicaine	Paris je t'aime	-	176	0.03%
	Volt	Volt Paris: un Paris pour l'Europe	-	95	0.02%
Total

Arrondissements

Control of Paris' twenty arrondissements were also decided in the election. At the last election, ten were won by the Socialist Party, nine by the UMP and one by EELV.

See also

• List of Paris councillors

References

1. "UPDATE 1-Socialist Paris Mayor beats Macron's candidate in election 1st round". Reuters. 15 March 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
2. "Anti-coronavirus measures postpone second round of Paris Mayoral election".
3. "France set to postpone second round of local elections over coronavirus fears". France 24. 16 March 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
4. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/28/voters-stay-away-from-second-round-french-local-elections
5. "Mayor of Paris Hidalgo, green alliance confident ahead of second round voting". RFI. 8 June 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
6. "French municipal elections – Socialists struggle, conservatives and far right make gains". Deutsche Welle. 23 March 2014.
7. Marie-Anne Galraud; Christine Henry (5 July 2018). "Delanoë-Hidalgo, une histoire pas si rose que ça". Le Parisien (in French). Retrieved 13 April 2020.
8. "NKM and Hidalgo set up all-female runoff for Paris mayor". RFI, 23 March 2014.
9. "Paris mayor's race sees incumbent Anne Hidalgo as narrow favourite for 2020". France 24. 7 April 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
10. Cosnard, Denis (10 July 2019). "Elections municipales à Paris: Benjamin Griveaux choisi pour représenter LRM". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 3 August 2019.
11. à 19h11, Par R. Bx Le 4 septembre 2019; À 23h06, Modifié Le 4 Septembre 2019 (4 September 2019). "Municipales : Cédric Villani officialise sa candidature à la mairie de Paris". leparisien.fr (in French). Retrieved 5 September 2019.
12. Agnew, Harriet (28 October 2019). "Cédric Villani: the upstart challenging to be Paris mayor". Financial Times. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
13. "Maths wizard Cédric Villani adds to Macron woes in Paris mayoral equation". France 24. 8 February 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
14. Roberts, Siobhan (30 January 2020). "In Paris, a Mathematician Confronts the Political Odds". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
15. "The man with the spider brooch who could cost Macron Paris". Reuters. 27 January 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
16. "Sex video ends Paris mayor race for Macron ally". BBC News. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
17. Willsher, Kim (14 February 2020). "Paris mayoral candidate drops out over sex video scandal". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
18. "Macron's candidate for Paris mayor quits over sexting row". Reuters. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
19. "French voters shun elections, enjoy sunshine despite coronavirus restrictions". Reuters. 16 March 2020.
20. "French health minister to run for Paris mayor after sex scandal sinks previous candidate". France 24. 16 February 2020.
21. https://www.france24.com/en/20200628-liveblog-low-turnout-in-second-round-of-france-s-local-elections
22. List of Paris' councillors