As Paris municipal elections approach on March 15 and 22, 2026, leading candidates focus on security, cleanliness, housing, and the environment, the top concerns for residents. A left-right divide emerges especially on arming the municipal police. Right-wing candidates aim to boost staff numbers and enhance surveillance tools.
The Paris municipal elections, set for March 15 and 22, 2026, place security at the center of discussions. The municipal police, established five years ago, currently has about 2,300 officers. The six main candidates have released programs highlighting a left-right divide on this issue.
Right-wing candidates, including Rachida Dati (Les Républicains), Pierre-Yves Bournazel (Horizons), Sarah Knafo (Reconquête!), and Thierry Mariani (Rassemblement national), propose arming officers and expanding staff. Rachida Dati targets 5,000 police, Pierre-Yves Bournazel 6,000, Sarah Knafo 8,000, and Thierry Mariani 8,350.
They plan to increase police presence in transport and advance video surveillance. Sarah Knafo and Pierre-Yves Bournazel mention new technologies, while Rachida Dati aims to double the number of cameras (currently 4,000) and Thierry Mariani to triple it. Pierre-Yves Bournazel and Sarah Knafo suggest canine brigades, and Sarah Knafo along with Rachida Dati a mounted police unit, focusing on the Champ-de-Mars and the Bois de Boulogne and Vincennes.
These ideas rely on a bill under parliamentary review to broaden municipal police powers. The programs also cover cleanliness, housing, and the environment, but the left-right divide there is pronounced, outlining two visions for the capital.
