Socialist Emmanuel Grégoire has been elected mayor of Paris, defeating right-wing candidate Rachida Dati in the second round of local elections in France.
Grégoire, who ran in a left-wing coalition including the Greens, secured around 52% of the vote, confirming the capital's continued left-wing leadership after more than two decades. He is expected to continue the pro-environment and pro-alternative transport policies pursued by his predecessor, Anne Hidalgo.
In his first statement after the victory, Grégoire emphasized that the most vulnerable groups and social issues would be the priority, describing the result as a great responsibility towards the citizens of Paris.
The local elections were considered an important test of the political climate ahead of the upcoming presidential elections in France.
The results also showed a restraint on far-right forces led by Marine Le Pen and her Rassemblement National party, which failed to win in some of the key cities it had targeted, including Marseille and Toulon.
In Marseille, incumbent mayor Benoît Payan retained his post with a left-wing coalition, preventing the advance of the far right. Meanwhile, in other cities there were mixed results for political forces, with some partial victories for the far right in smaller areas.
Another important development was the re-election of former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe as mayor of Le Havre, which is expected to strengthen his ambitions for a run in the upcoming presidential elections.
The results of these elections confirm a fragmented political landscape in France, where the left holds the main urban strongholds, while the right and the far right continue to seek ground at the national level on the eve of the presidential race.