The environmentalist chapter in Strasbourg is coming to a close, as Socialist Catherine Trautmann returns as mayor. First elected in 1989 and re-elected in 1995, Trautmann, who at the start of the campaign said she was "working overtime," succeeded in her gamble. "The people of Strasbourg want someone who can bring people together, not someone fixated on a political label," she said.
Leading after the first round of the local elections on Sunday, March 15, Trautmann, who served as culture minister under Lionel Jospin (1997-2000), decided to include Pierre Jakubowicz from the center-right Horizons party (5.1%), and four of his running mates on her list to strengthen her chances of victory. The decision drew criticism within the Socialist Party (PS), with leader Olivier Faure stating, "This agreement in Strasbourg places those who made it outside the PS." However, contrary to conflicting reports, Trautmann was not officially excluded.
Horizons, reacting to this unexpected alliance, withdrew its support from Jakubowicz and instead backed the candidate list led by Jean-Philippe Vetter (Les Républicains, LR, right wing), who had already welcomed candidates from Horizons and the centrist Renaissance party. Vetter ultimately placed third, just a few hundred votes behind Green incumbent Jeanne Barseghian, who had quickly formed an alliance with radical left La France Insoumise (LFI) after the first round.
