Anne Hidalgo's Lapsus Overshadows Paris Mayoral Endorsement

The outgoing Paris mayor mistakenly names her rival while endorsing Rémi Féraud as her preferred successor for the 2026 municipal elections.

Anne Hidalgo, the outgoing mayor of Paris, endorsed Rémi Féraud as her preferred successor but accidentally referred to her rival Emmanuel Grégoire during the announcement.
The slip occurred during Féraud's first campaign event, where Hidalgo handed him her symbolic 'lucky' campaign scarf from 2020.
Hidalgo publicly called on Grégoire, now a deputy and former ally, to withdraw his candidacy and join the socialist coalition backing Féraud.
Grégoire criticized Hidalgo's endorsement of Féraud, calling it a 'vengeance' and questioning the legitimacy of the decision, while emphasizing his own campaign's focus on dialogue and organization.
The 2026 Paris mayoral race is shaping up to be contentious, with socialist candidates Féraud and Grégoire vying for party support, and broader political rivalries expected across ideological lines.