'There’s lots to do and we’ll start tomorrow morning' - Paris proves progressive pro-cycling policies can win elections

In a closely fought and often bitterly divisive contest, which was framed by many commentators as a battle between drivers and cyclists, the very pro-pedalling candidate Emmanuel Grégoire has been elected as the new mayor of Paris.

Characteristically, as the results became clear on Sunday night, Grégoire jumped straight on a rental bike to do a triumphant ride around central Paris with his future councillors, sending a clear signal that he intended to continue with his predecessor's pro-cycle commuting approach to city planning.

The 48-year-old Socialist politician secured victory with 51–53% of the vote, decisively defeating his conservative rival Rachida Dati, by re-energising the traditional left and uniting them under a bold and progressive banner with the Greens. And cycling has been at the heart of Grégoire's platform from the very beginning.

Grégoire previously served as the deputy to outgoing mayor Anne Hidalgo, who has been credited (and castigated) for transforming Paris into an environmentally friendly city that said no to an increase in cars, and became a far more pleasant place for pedallers and pedestrians in the process.

A fellow Socialist, Hidalgo capitalised on investment from the 2024 Olympics and rolled out a €250m (£210m) initiative to build 180km (112 miles) of cycling lanes across the French capital. She also imposed strict limits on cars to create low emission zones, all of which led to Paris recently topping a European poll of cycling-friendly cities for children, beating both Amsterdam and Copenhagen.

Hidalgo's embrace of pro-cycling policies and her refusal to reject the concept of 15-minute cities (something that is intended to reduce the reliance on motorised vehicles in densely populated metropolises, but which has become a furious flashpoint for the far right, conspiracy theorists and populist politicians) polarised the city and led to accusations that she was hellbent on penalising drivers. Undeterred by the at-times ferocious debate, Grégoire committed to continuing and expanding upon the pro-pedestrian and bike-positive policies, and at the weekend, over half of the voting population of Paris said Oui!

During his campaign Gregoire promised Paris would stand tall as a 'city of refuge' and a 'bastion against the right and the far right', with the latter promoting regressive policies that would have rolled back the advancements made to making the City of Light a delight for cyclists.