Emmanuel Grégoire's priority projects for Paris

Here is an overview of the priority projects awaiting the socialist mayor at the head of a united left-wing coalition without LFI.

Out-of-school-hours

This will be the most sensitive issue of the former deputy mayor's early term, whose campaign has been overshadowed by sexual violence cases in the area. His rivals, Rachida Dati on the right and Sophia Chikirou of La France Insoumise, hold him responsible for this scandal, believing that he failed to take any significant action while in office at City Hall.

Mr. Grégoire said he was taking "his share of responsibility" and promised an overhaul of the sector. He began by making the highly precarious field of youth work more attractive, where, out of 14.000 employees, only 3.300 have permanent contracts. He wants to recruit 2.800 staff members for less fragmented schedules to avoid excessive staff turnover, with the goal of respecting the "absolute rule that no child should be left with only one adult, nor any adult alone with several children."

An extraordinary Paris council meeting will be convened on this subject "as early as mid-April", the elected official indicated in an interview published Friday evening by Le Parisien.

The socialist, who will not reverse the 4,5-day school week, also announced a "big bang of transparency", with an "independent" audit and "clear and shared" reporting procedures.

He promised to go "further" than the plan to combat sexual violence in schools launched last fall by the City.

"Zero children on the streets"

The new mayor's "first measure" will be to launch a "major shelter plan with an obligation to achieve results": that "zero children sleep on the streets in the winter of 2026".

He intends to create 4.000 additional emergency accommodation places, while in three years the number of people on the street has increased from 2.600 to more than 3.500.

The city council will request the "immediate requisition" of housing units that have been vacant for more than five years from the Île-de-France prefecture, aiming for a better distribution between the west and east of the city. Of the 4.000 places, 1.000 will be reserved for children and their families through a "one roof for every child" program.

Accommodation

Emmanuel Grégoire has made housing his "absolute priority" as rents continue to rise and the rental market dwindles, with nearly one in five properties unoccupied (vacant or only occasionally occupied). The right wing criticizes the outgoing majority for a "too costly" preemption policy, while La France Insoumise (LFI) accuses them of having "gentrified" the capital.

The new mayor has set a target of 60.000 new public housing units, including 30.000 social housing units and 30.000 affordable housing units, with a redistribution across the boroughs. He wants to increase taxes on second homes and strengthen controls against "permanent tourist rentals like Airbnb," hoping to "bring 100.000 homes back onto the market."

A "housing protection brigade" will be created to enforce rent control, a system being tested by some communities and expected to end in November 2026.

The left-wing candidate also pledges to renovate 200.000 social and private homes, particularly by insulating roofs and installing shutters.

Public space, mobility

The former deputy mayor wants to continue Anne Hidalgo's policies, characterized by an acceleration of greening, pedestrianization, and a reduction in car use. This should lead to a significant decrease in pollution, although other factors, such as the modernization of the vehicle fleet, also come into play.

A "pedestrian heart" will be created in each of the 80 districts of the capital, with a target of "1.000 pedestrian streets", as well as two new promenades, one extending the riverside roads, the other the former small railway ring.

The Arsenal basin will be converted into a swimming area - "the Bastille beach".

Regarding transportation, Mr. Grégoire wants to transform the 15 most heavily used bus lines into "express buses" with dedicated lanes. The goal: a five-minute frequency during peak hours, at a time when the average speed of Parisian buses has decreased.

He wants a "gradual trial" of 24/24 operation of the three automated metro lines. The deployment of cycle paths will continue in "100% of the capital's streets" with, he assures, "the end of cycle paths on sidewalks and the securing of intersections," the opposition criticizing the municipality for having poorly separated the uses, to the detriment of pedestrians.

On the ring road, where the speed limit has been reduced to 50 km/h, the new majority will complete the development of the carpooling lane by extending it to the entire 35 km ring. The objective is to transform it into an "urban boulevard" for the health of the 500.000 residents who live on both sides, starting with the installation of a pedestrian crossing at the Porte de Gentilly (south).