Sophia Chikirou, Emmanuel Grégoire, and Rachida Dati, the three candidates in the second round of the Paris municipal elections, before their debate on BFM-TV in Paris on March 18, 2026. AGNES DHERBEYS/MYOP FOR LE MONDE
A three-way race in the second round including a radical candidate to his left was the least favorable and most feared scenario for Emmanuel Grégoire, the Socialist candidate in the Paris mayoral election. The debate held on Wednesday, March 18, on BFM-TV unsurprisingly confirmed that the representative of the outgoing Paris Council majority was caught in an unbalanced battle, attacked by Sophia Chikirou of La France Insoumise (LFI) on one side and right-wing Rachida Dati on the other.
From the outset, and for almost the entire three-hour debate, the exchanges were fierce, tense and frequently unintelligible, forcing the moderator to call for order several times – almost always directed at Dati, who either refused to answer questions or prevented others from responding. With four days to go before the second round, it was a crucial moment for the candidates. Since Sunday evening, the situation has become more complicated for Grégoire, who came in first with 37.98% of the vote in the first round. Dati (25.46%) merged her ticket with center-right Pierre-Yves Bournazel's (11.34%), and she could also benefit from the withdrawal of far-right candidate Sarah Knafo (Reconquête!, 10.4%).
