Until November 2025, in Paris, as well as in Lyon and Marseille, the election of the mayor followed a slightly different process from the electoral system used in most other French municipalities. In the majority of French towns, voters cast their ballots for a list of candidates, and then the elected municipal councilors choose the mayor from among themselves, typically selecting the candidate associated with the list that received the most votes.
In the capital, the system is more complicated. Voters elect municipal councillors for each arrondissement. A third of these councillors also sit on the Paris Council, which then selects the mayor of the capital. So, even if the mayor doesn't win a majority of votes in his or her home arrondissement, he or she can still rise to the highest office in the municipality.
Municipal elections: From arrondissement mayorships to the capital, how is the mayor of Paris elected?
During municipal elections, the composition of municipal seats in France's communes is determined by voters. In Paris, however, the procedure is different: yes, within the capital, in addition to the City of Paris, each arrondissement has its own mayor's office. So how are the arrondissement mayors and the mayor of Paris elected? Here's how it works. [Read more]
Deputy Sylvain Maillard aimed to overhaul the city council election process, leading him to introduce a bill. The legislation was unanimously approved by the National Assembly on July 10, 2025, and subsequently ratified by the Constitutional Council. But what exactly does this bill entail? And how has the municipal election system in Paris been transformed?
The legislative framework has paved the way for the creation of two separate elections in Paris, Lyon, and Marseille: two ballots held on the same day. The first vote will choose the district councilors, while the second vote will decide the members of the Paris City Council. The latter is expected to be decided in two rounds.
District councilors elected locally are responsible for selecting their neighborhood mayor. Meanwhile, members of the City Council will be tasked with choosing the Mayor of Paris. With these two votes, voters are expected to gain a bit more influence in the selection of the city's various mayors.
It’s important to note that voters will need to follow two separate voting processes: they will not place both ballots into the same box. Instead, they will need to go through two distinct voting steps. Although both elections take place in the same polling station, they might be held in different rooms or on separate routes, just a few meters apart.
In addition, the composition of municipal councils would also change, to favor opposition lists: only 25% of seats would be reserved for the elected list, with the remainder given to unsuccessful candidate lists, in proportion to election results. At present, 50% of seats are given to councillors on the list elected by local residents.
This new voting system takes effect immediately and will be used in the upcoming municipal elections, scheduled for March 2026.
In the civic calendar, municipal elections enable the citizens of each commune to elect their mayor. Whether in Paris City Hall, in the various arrondissements of the capital, in the Île-de-France region or nationwide, here are the dates of the next municipal elections in 2026. [Read more]
Municipal elections: From arrondissement mayorships to the capital, how is the mayor of Paris elected?
Now that the date of the next municipal elections has been set, here's when you can elect your mayor
