Anne Hidalgo has been confirmed as Mayor of Paris at today’s session of the City Council of Paris. After a secret ballot in 1 rounds, she received a total of 96 votes from the councillors elected on Sunday, 28 June. She will thus spend another 6 years at the city hall of Paris.
Election of the Mayor of Paris
The road to victory was almost clear for the incumbent Mayor after Hidalgo’s list won the spectacular 48,7 % of the vote, corresponding to 96 of 163 seats in the “local parliament”. Yet, her mayoral election had to be confirmed.
As per the rules, the election of Mayor of Paris is not held by a popular vote, but rather by the elected city councillors and amongst them. Hence, Hidalgo presented her candidature before the councillors and won their approval for another term at the first meeting of the new composition of the Council.
Priorities for Hidalgo’s 2020-2026 term
Hidalgo pledges to create a capital city that breathes, that is more agreeable to live in and that leaves no one behind. She is also focused on improving the sanitation of the city, investing in affordable housing, transport and greenery.
Her electoral programme “Paris en commun” is founded on the pillars of ecology, solidarity, engagement and proximity. The long list of her propositions include:
- planting 5 big and 100 small city gardens, 4 new big city parks, and the plantation of a tree for each newborn child in the city;
- creating pedestrian spaces in each neighbourhood; pedestrianisation of the city centre;
- extending the range of electric transport and supporting innovative forms like river, autonomous and hydrogen transport;
- achieving zero single-use plastics by 2024,
- promoting and economic model that respects the environment and is socially responsible;
- granting equality between women and men and support for the members of the LGBTI community;
- striving towards no NEETs (young people not in education, employment or training).
Anne Hidalgo is also to coordinate the process of the organisation of the 2024 Summer Olympic games in Paris.
Who is Anne Hidalgo?
Hidalgo (or Ana María “Anne” Hidalgo Aleu) was born in 1959 in San Fernando, Spain and became a citizen of France when she was 14.
She was first elected to the post of Mayor of Paris in 2014 with a project of making the city greener, which to a significant degree she managed to complete through coordinated policies that promote cycling and restrict car use. In 2001 she became a municipal councillor and a First Deputy mayor of the French capital and a regional councillor at ‘Île-de-France in 2004.
Her political career includes positions advisory to the Minister of Employment and Solidarity Martine Aubry (1997-1998), consultant for the Secretary of State for Women’s Rights and Vocational Training Nicole Pery (1998-200), technical advisor to the Minister of Justice Marylise Lebranchu (2000-2002).
The socialist is also the first woman to hold the prestigious office of Mayor of Paris.
Source: TheMayor.EU