In a book set for release on Friday, Horizons candidate Pierre-Yves Bournazel, backed by Macronists, provides hints about his relationship with Rachida Dati, making a rally to the LR candidate in the 2026 Paris mayoral runoff unlikely. Declared in June 2025 and polling third, he emerges as a potential kingmaker between Dati and Emmanuel Grégoire. Privately, he voices a desire to avoid such a decision.
Pierre-Yves Bournazel, a close ally of Édouard Philippe and supported by Renaissance, announced his candidacy for Paris mayor in June 2025. Elected as a Paris councilor since 2008, he polls third for the March 2026 municipal elections, potentially succeeding Anne Hidalgo of the Socialist Party. Rather than aiming for victory, he positions himself as a kingmaker between the two frontrunners: Rachida Dati for Les Républicains and Emmanuel Grégoire, from the outgoing majority.
Publicly, Bournazel upholds firm neutrality, avoiding any preference between Dati, aligned with his political family, and Grégoire, with whom he maintains constructive opposition. Privately, he states he will « do everything to avoid ending up in this position » of having to choose. His book « The Battle for Paris », releasing Friday, delves into his relationship with Dati, the 7th arrondissement mayor, who remains bitter over the presidential party's refusal to back her in 2020. At that time, Macronist candidate Agnès Buzyn stayed in the second round, weakening Dati's performance.
Dati's teams claim that « voting for Bournazel is voting for Grégoire ». Grégoire, meanwhile, described Bournazel as « interesting » in July. In early November, a key Paris Socialist advocated « leaving the door open », recalling a potential union with the MoDem in 2008.