Updated: 6 hours ago
IMMIGRANT MAYORS IN FRANCE
In Europe, France stands out for the number of its immigrant mayors
By The Immigrant Times (IMT)
French immigrant mayors (from left to right): Abdel-Kader Guerza (Dreux, Centre-Val de Loire); Rachida Dati (Paris, 7th Arrondissement); Bally Bagayoko (Saint-Denis, Île-de-France) (Photos: Emmanuel Sénécharles, Lionel Urman and others)
November 2026: Across Europe, the demographic composition of municipalities has changed significantly since the 1960s. Although comprehensive pan-European data remain limited, France stands out for its growing number of first- and second-generation immigrant mayors.
This political shift is concentrated mainly in the densely populated banlieues (suburbs) and satellite towns around major population hubs such as Paris, Lyon, and Marseille, where many immigrants from North Africa and other former French colonies have long settled.
This emerging generation of mayors often has deep roots in their local communities. As an analysis published in The Conversation* notes, their arrival in office is not sudden but the result of a "slow movement and difficult recognition of the work of activists in working-class neighbourhoods." For example, the researchers note a significant increase in the proportion of elected officials from ethno-racial minorities in Seine-Saint-Denis, rising from 9% in 2001 to 36% in 2020.
However, achieving office does not shield these leaders from discrimination. The authors of The Conversation study note that racist attacks against these mayors are "often coupled with class contempt and a stigmatisation of working-class suburbs." Once elected, they frequently face "all the expressions of everyday racism," underscoring the ongoing challenges of political representation in France.
The mayors' voices bring these academic observations to life, reflecting both a fierce defence of their communities and the stark realities of the discrimination they face.
For many, their mandate is rooted in the pursuit of equality. "Fighting against all forms of discrimination is bringing liberty, equality, and fraternity to life concretely," notes Azzédine Taïbi, the mayor of Stains.
In Marseille, Deputy Mayor Samia Ghali echoes this call for social justice: "We cannot have a city cut in two... residents demand the same dignity, the same security, and the same rights as everyone else." Yet breaking this political ground often invites intense pushback.
Defending his working-class constituents, Trappes Mayor Ali Rabeh declared, "We refuse to be the doormat on which Parisian editorialists wipe their feet," while Villetaneuse Mayor Dieunor Excellent highlighted the overt racism he faced on the campaign trail: "The attacks I endured, the rumours of witchcraft, show that there is a psychological glass ceiling. For some, a Black mayor cannot simply win on a political project."
Below, we list some of the most prominent first- and second-generation immigrant mayors who are currently and recently reshaping local government across France.
IMMIGRANT MAYORS IN FRANCE
(The list includes first- and second-generation immigrants. Municipalities are listed by population size)
Paris, Île-de-France
Popl: 2.1 million
Mayor: Anne Hidalgo
Politics: Socialist Party (PS)
In office: From April 2014 to March 2026
Bibliography: Hidalgo was born in San Fernando, Spain, in 1959. Her family emigrated to France when she was two to escape the Franco dictatorship.
Quote: "Je suis une enfant de l’école publique et une fille d'immigrés espagnols. La République m'a tout donné et je ressens une dette immense envers elle." Translation: "I am a child of the public school system and a daughter of Spanish immigrants. The Republic gave me everything, and I feel an immense debt towards it."
Saint-Denis, Île-de-France
Popl: 113,000
Mayor: Bally Bagayoko
Politics: La France Insoumise (LFI)
In office: From March 2026 to date
Bibliography: Bagayoko was born in 1973 in Levallois-Perret. He is a second-generation immigrant, born to Malian parents, and grew up in the Saint-Denis area.
Quote: "La ville des rois et du peuple vivant."
Translation: "The city of kings and of the living people." (Note: A phrase he uses to describe Saint-Denis, reflecting its dual identity as the burial site of French royalty and a modern, diverse, working-class hub).
Marseille, 8th Sector (15th and 16th Arrondissements)
Popl: 90,000 (Sector)
Mayor: Samia Ghali
Politics: Left, formerly Socialist Party (PS)
In office: From March 2008 to September 2017
Bibliography: Ghali was born in Marseille in 1968 and raised in the city's northern estates by her Algerian-born grandparents. She served as a sector mayor for nearly a decade before stepping down in 2017 to focus on her role as a Senator. In 2020, she returned to city leadership as the Deputy Mayor of Marseille.
Quote: "On ne peut pas avoir une ville coupée en deux. Les quartiers Nord font partie de Marseille, et leurs habitants demandent la même dignité, la même sécurité et les mêmes droits que les autres."
Translation: "We cannot have a city cut in two. The Northern districts are part of Marseille, and their residents demand the same dignity, the same security, and the same rights as everyone else."
Aubervilliers, Île-de-France
Popl: 90,000
Mayor: Sofienne Karroumi
Politics: Left/Citizen List
In office: From March 2026 to date
Bibliography: Karroumi was elected in the 2026 municipal elections, representing a victory for candidates from ethno-racial minorities in working-class territories.
Aubervilliers, Île-de-France
Popl: 90,000
Mayor: Meriem Derkaoui
Politics: French Communist Party (PCF)
In office: From January 2016 to July 2020
Bibliography: Born in Algeria in 1964, Derkaoui served as the mayor of Aubervilliers. During her tenure, she faced intense media scrutiny and right-wing pushback linked to her background.
Quote: "Aubervilliers n'est pas une zone de non-droit, c'est un territoire de tous les droits qui souffre d'un abandon de l'État."
Translation: "Aubervilliers is not a no-go zone; it is a territory of all rights that suffers from abandonment by the State."
Vénissieux, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Popl: 67,000
Mayor: Idir Boumertit
Politics: La France Insoumise (LFI, far-left)
In office: From March 2026 to date
Bibliography: Boumertit was born in Lyon in 1974. A second-generation immigrant, he served as a local deputy mayor and National Assembly member before winning the mayoral election in 2026.
Quote: "Nos quartiers ont besoin de justice sociale, pas de discours sécuritaires à répétition qui ne font que stigmatiser une jeunesse qui veut juste trouver sa place."
Translation: "Our neighbourhoods need social justice, not repetitive security rhetoric that only stigmatises a youth that just wants to find its place."
Sarcelles, Île-de-France
Popl: 58,000
Mayor: Bassi Konaté
Politics: Socialist Party (PS)
In office: From March 2026 to date
Bibliography: Konaté was elected in 2026 at the age of 38. He is of Malian descent and grew up in the local community.
Le Blanc-Mesnil, Île-de-France
Popl: 57,000
Mayor: Demba Traoré
Politics: Left Union (DVG)
In office: From March 2026 to date
Bibliography: Traoré is of Malian descent and became mayor of Le Blanc-Mesnil after winning the March 2026 municipal elections.
Bobigny, Île-de-France
Popl: 55,000
Mayor: Abdel Sadi
Politics: French Communist Party (PCF)
In office: From July 2020 to date
Bibliography: Sadi was born in France to Algerian parents. A longtime figure in local politics and the Communist Party, he was re-elected in 2026.
Quote: "Le service public, c'est le patrimoine de ceux qui n'ont rien. Le défendre, c'est défendre la dignité de nos habitants."
Translation: "Public service is the wealth of those who have nothing. Defending it means defending the dignity of our residents."
Vaulx-en-Velin, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Popl: 52,000
Mayor: Abdelkader Lahmar
Politics: La France Insoumise (LFI, far-left)
In office: From March 2026 to date
Bibliography: Lahmar was born in Lyon in 1971. He is a second-generation immigrant, the son of an Algerian printing factory worker and a stay-at-home mother.
Saint-Ouen, Île-de-France
Popl: 50,000
Mayor: Karim Bouamrane
Politics: Socialist Party (PS)
In office: From July 2020 to date
Bibliography: Bouamrane was born in Clichy in 1973. He is a second-generation immigrant born to a Moroccan father, who worked as a construction worker, and a Moroccan mother.
Quote: "Je n'ai jamais voulu venir avec cette étiquette de maire de banlieue. Je suis un maire de la République."
Translation: "I never wanted to arrive with the label of a 'banlieue' [suburb] mayor. I am a mayor of the Republic."
Paris, 7th Arrondissement
Popl: 48,000 (District)
Mayor: Rachida Dati
Politics: The Republicans (centrist, LR)
In office: From March 2008 to date
Bibliography: Dati was born in Burgundy in 1965. She is a second-generation immigrant, born to a Moroccan father who worked as a bricklayer and an Algerian mother.
Quote: "Voyant un jeune issu de l'immigration qui a réussi, ils disent : 'Oh, tu t'en es bien sorti !' Mais tu t'en es bien sorti de quoi ? Pour eux, un jeune issu de l'immigration qui a réussi, c'est qu'il a échappé à la délinquance."
Translation: "Seeing a successful young person of immigrant background, they say: 'Oh, you made it out well!' But made it out of what? For them, a successful young person of immigrant origin means they escaped delinquency."
Mantes-la-Jolie, Île-de-France
Popl: 44,000
Mayor: Adama Gaye
Politics: Left Union (DVG)
In office: From March 2026 to date
Bibliography: Gaye was elected mayor in March 2026. He is a second-generation immigrant of Senegalese heritage.
La Courneuve, Île-de-France
Popl: 43,000
Mayor: Aly Diouara
Politics: La France Insoumise (far-left, LFI)
In office: From March 2026 to date
Bibliography: Diouara was born in 1987 in La Courneuve. He is a second-generation immigrant whose parents originated from Mali and Senegal.
Quote: "Les quartiers populaires ne sont pas un problème à régler, ils sont une partie de la solution pour l'avenir du pays. Il est temps que notre voix compte."
Translation: "Working-class neighbourhoods are not a problem to be solved; they are a part of the solution for the country's future. It is time for our voice to count."
Melun, Île-de-France
Popl: 42,000
Mayor: Kadir Mebarek
Politics: Center/Diverse
In office: From March 2026 to date
Bibliography: Mebarek, a local lawyer of immigrant descent, won the mayoral seat in 2026, marking a significant demographic shift in the leadership of the Seine-et-Marne prefecture.
Gagny, Île-de-France
Popl: 40,000
Mayor: Rolin Cranoly
Politics: Center-Right / Diverse Right
In office: From July 2020 to date
Bibliography: Cranoly, of West Indian descent, was initially elected as a Republican (centrist, LR) but left the party in 2024 in opposition to its alliances with the far-right.
Quote: "Mes convictions gaullistes et républicaines m'interdisent toute compromission avec les extrêmes. La République ne se négocie pas."
Translation: "My Gaullist and republican convictions forbid me from any compromise with the extremes. The Republic is not up for negotiation." (Note: This is highly relevant context regarding his 2024 departure from the traditional right-wing LR party over its alliances).
Stains, Île-de-France
Popl: 39,000
Mayor: Azzédine Taïbi
Politics: French Communist Party (PCF)
In office: From April 2014 to date
Bibliography: Taïbi was born in France to Algerian parents. He has been a fixture in local politics, winning re-election in both 2020 and 2026.
Quote: "Lutter contre toutes les formes de discriminations, c'est faire vivre concrètement la liberté, l'égalité, la fraternité."
Translation: "Fighting against all forms of discrimination is bringing liberty, equality, and fraternity to life concretely."
Villepinte, Île-de-France
Popl: 38,000
Mayor: Mélissa Youssouf
Politics: Left Union (DVG)
In office: From March 2026 to date
Bibliography: Youssouf was elected mayor in 2026. She is a second-generation immigrant with roots in the Comoros and Mali.
Neuilly-sur-Marne, Île-de-France
Popl: 37,000
Mayor: Zartoshte Bakhtiary
Politics: Center-Right / Diverse Right (DVD)
In office: From July 2020 to date
Bibliography: Bakhtiary is a second-generation immigrant of Iranian descent. He cut his teeth in conservative politics before leading a centrist union list for his 2026 re-election.
Quote: "Je suis la preuve que la méritocratie républicaine peut encore fonctionner. Mon parcours, de l'Iran à la mairie, est un message d'espoir pour ceux qui doutent de l'intégration."
Translation: "I am proof that Republican meritocracy can still work. My journey, from Iran to the mayor's office, is a message of hope for those who doubt integration."
Creil, Hauts-de-France
Popl: 36,000
Mayor: Omar Yaqoob
Politics: Left / Diverse
In office: From March 2026 to date
Bibliography: Yaqoob was elected in 2026, bringing diversity to the mayoral office in this working-class municipality in the Oise department, north of Paris.
Trappes, Île-de-France
Popl: 32,000
Mayor: Ali Rabeh
Politics: Génération.s (centre-left, to left)
In office: From July 2020 to date
Bibliography: Rabeh was born in France to Moroccan parents. He was re-elected in the first round of the 2026 municipal elections.
Quote: "La réalité de Trappes, ce sont des milliers de familles qui se lèvent tôt pour faire tourner le pays. Nous refusons d'être le paillasson sur lequel s'essuient les éditorialistes parisiens."
Translation: "The reality of Trappes is thousands of families who get up early to keep the country running. We refuse to be the doormat on which Parisian editorialists wipe their feet."
Dreux, Centre-Val de Loire
Popl: 30,000
Mayor: Abdel-Kader Guerza
Politics: Center/Diverse
In office: From March 2026 to date
Bibliography: Guerza, a former sub-prefect of Algerian descent, secured the mayoral seat in Dreux, a town historically regarded as a stronghold of the political right.
Orly, Val-de-Marne
Popl: 24,000
Mayor: Imène Souid-Ben Cheikh
Politics: Left Union (DVG)
In office: From March 2026 to date
Bibliography: Souid-Ben Cheikh, of Tunisian descent, was elected in 2026. Her victory marks a new generation of diverse leaders emerging from local administrative and civic engagement.
Villetaneuse, Seine-Saint-Denis
Popl: 13,500
Mayor: Dieunor Excellent
Politics: Left Union (DVG)
In office: From July 2020 to date
Bibliography: Excellent was elected in 2020 and re-elected in the 2026 municipal elections. As a Black mayor, he has spoken out about racist stereotypes and smears from opponents, including rumours of witchcraft during his campaigns, highlighting the challenges minority politicians often face.
Quote: "Les attaques que j'ai subies, les rumeurs de maraboutage, montrent qu'il y a un plafond de verre psychologique. Pour certains, un maire noir ne peut pas simplement gagner sur un projet politique."
Translation: "The attacks I endured, the rumours of witchcraft, show that there is a psychological glass ceiling. For some, a Black mayor cannot simply win on a political project."
We would like to hear from you
The Immigrant Times is committed to accurately reflecting European politics. We welcome input from our readers. If you notice any errors in this list or would like to propose additional mayors who meet our criteria, please contact the editor.
Sources:
Municipal offices, mayors' websites and social media accounts, local, regional and national media in France.
*The Conversation: "Ces élus issus de l'immigration confrontés au racisme" (2026). Authors: Marie-Hélène Bacqué and Claudette Lafaye,
RMC / BFMTV: "Maires issus de l'immigration: Ce n'est pas la nouvelle France..."
French Ministry of the Interior: Municipal Election Results (2020, 2026)
Further reading from The Immigrant Times: French immigrant footballers || Immigrant cities: Marseille || Immigrants in literature || Solidarity cities in France ||
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