French Government Pushes for Electoral Reform in Paris, Lyon, and Marseille
Prime Minister François Bayrou aims to align the municipal election process in France's three largest cities with the rest of the country, targeting adoption before summer 2025.
- Prime Minister François Bayrou has prioritized reforming the municipal election system in Paris, Lyon, and Marseille, known as the 'PLM' system, which has been in place since 1982.
- The proposed reform seeks to introduce direct elections for mayors in these cities, replacing the current system where mayors are indirectly chosen by arrondissement or sector councilors.
- Bayrou plans for the legislation to be debated in the National Assembly by mid-March and passed by the Senate before summer, ahead of the 2026 municipal elections.
- Critics, particularly from the left, argue the timing is inappropriate, citing an informal norm against changing electoral rules less than a year before an election cycle begins.
- Supporters of the reform, including President Emmanuel Macron, describe the current system as an 'anomaly' and emphasize the need for equal voting rights across all French municipalities.
Le Point 