In Bobigny, Seine-Saint-Denis, outgoing mayor Abdel Sadi has the backing of the entire left, including La France insoumise, for the first round of municipal elections. The city, a historical symbol of the communist 'red belt', sees the united left facing six competing lists.
Bobigny, the prefecture of Seine-Saint-Denis, is steeped in left-wing political history. Its streets bear names like Lénine and Karl Marx, evoking its past as part of the communist 'red belt' suburbs encircling Paris in the 1970s. The Marie-Claire footbridge, named after Marie-Claire Chevalier—a key figure in abortion rights defended in 1972 by lawyer Gisèle Halimi in a pivotal trial that helped decriminalize voluntary termination of pregnancy in France—further highlights this progressive legacy.
Outgoing mayor Abdel Sadi is supported by the French Communist Party (PCF), a tradition rooted in the city's and his family's history. 'My parents arrived in France in the 1960s, in neighboring La Courneuve, and we were always well received by the Communist Party,' he said in his office. His campaign logo prominently features the PCF among other left-wing labels.
In this first round of municipal elections, the united left behind Abdel Sadi will face six opposing lists, with the alliance including La France insoumise.