Emmanuel Grégoire, the new mayor of Paris, during election night on March 22, 2026. AGNES DHERBEYS/MYOP FOR LE MONDE
Emmanuel Grégoire dislikes being called "dull." But the Paris mayor-elect would never say so himself, because blunt phrasing and short sentences aren't part of his register. The Socialist prefers to explain that this is "an image that people project onto me that is far from who I intimately am." Whenever asked a question on any topic, he almost always begins his response the same way: "Well, first of all…," before launching into a full explanation, as though needing to provide context and an introduction before stating his argument and conclusion – a habit befitting a graduate of Sciences Po Bordeaux.
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Paris municipal elections: Emmanuel Grégoire and the united left achieve a resounding victory
At 48, the former deputy to outgoing Socialist mayor Anne Hidalgo from 2014 to 2024, has a reputation that sticks to him: that of a policy man, hardworking, rigorous and serious, sometimes too much so. He doesn't recognize himself in that image, even if he admits it is "flattering." "I'm actually someone who's super joyful, super jokeful, and super down-to-earth," he said in a lengthy conversation with influencer Sam Zirah at the end of February 2026.
