The two main cities in France, Paris and Marseille, remain under the control of socialists who have refused to form alliances with candidates from La France Insoumise and have positioned themselves as a brake against the right. Some of their colleagues achieved few results in the municipal elections this Sunday despite their agreements with the radical left party. Emmanuel Grégoire, the new mayor of Paris, who was the second-in-command to Mayor Anne Hidalgo, stated that his party will maintain control of the capital. Grégoire interpreted his triumph as a message at the national level, in view of the presidential elections next year. Furthermore, he criticised the union between traditional right and the far-right. After his speech, Grégoire set off to explore the city on a bicycle. During the journey, he gave his first interview of the evening while heading to the Town Hall, where he embraced Hidalgo, who handed him the key to the city.
The socialists retain Paris and Marseille and reap few rewards from pacts with ‘insubordinates’.
