Socialist candidate Emmanuel Grégoire has been elected mayor of Paris, defeating pro-Azerbaijani right-wing contender Rachida Dati in a closely watched municipal vote ahead of next year’s presidential election.
Grégoire, a former deputy to outgoing Mayor Anne Hidalgo, secured approximately 51% of the vote, surpassing both Dati and hard-left candidate Sophia Chikirou, and outperforming expectations of a tight race.
Dati’s candidacy drew significant attention due to her longstanding ties to Azerbaijani authorities. She has been a member of the “Friends of Azerbaijan” group, widely associated with Azerbaijan’s influence operations in Europe, and opposed a 2017 European Parliament investigation into illegal lobbying efforts linked to Baku.
Her connections date back years, including organizing a high-profile event in 2011 in honor of Azerbaijan’s First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva. Dati has also made statements aligned with Azerbaijani positions regarding Armenians in Artsakh, particularly following the April 2016 war.
Concerns over her positions and affiliations were raised by Murad Papazian and Ara Toranyan, co-chairs of the Coordination Council of Armenian organizations of France, in an article published in Marianne.
The result reaffirms Paris’ continued alignment with left-leaning leadership and marks an important moment in France’s political landscape.
