Nathalie Koenders, François Rebsamen's socialist successor, begins her first municipal campaign in Dijon against a divided left and an optimistic right. Elected mayor on November 25, 2024, the 48-year-old inherits a term shaped by 25 years of socialist governance. Her right-wing rival, Emmanuel Bichot, bets on change after a quarter-century in power.
Nathalie Koenders, 48, a former canoe-kayak champion, was elevated to mayor of Dijon by her predecessor François Rebsamen, in office since 2001. A municipal councilor since 2008 and first deputy since 2014, she assumed the role on November 25, 2024, in a handover aimed at strengthening her position ahead of the March 15 and 22, 2026 elections.
Some opponents nickname her “the heiress,” highlighting her rise under Rebsamen's guidance; he appears sixth on her list—a symbolic spot to signal partial independence. The former mayor, still influential, is preparing his re-election as president of Dijon Métropole and hopes to reclaim his Côte-d’Or senator seat.
Her opponent, Emmanuel Bichot, 57, a master counselor at the Cour des comptes and leader of Agir pour Dijon since 2014, represents the right-wing opposition. Heading a coalition of Les Républicains, Le Nouveau Centre, UDI, Horizons, and his own party, he criticizes 25 years of socialist management. Bichot has received “unsolicited” support, as he emphasizes, from Reconquête!, Éric Zemmour's party, amid tensions between far-right groups in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté.
Dijon's left appears fragmented, while the right nurtures hopes of alternation. This campaign underscores the local dynamics of a city long dominated by socialists.
