Grégoire Wins Paris Mayor Race, Prioritizes Affordable Housing

0:00It's March 23rd. I'm Cory with the story, and this is Canada News Today, local news powered by AI. Emmanuel Gregois, a 48-year-old socialist, won election as Paris mayor in Sunday's runoff vote. He succeeded fellow socialist Anne Hidalgo, defeating conservative rival Rashida Dati after partial results came in. Gregois, celebrated by riding a city bike to City Hall, highlighting his push for a greener Paris. His vote cap France's second round of municipal elections, where traditional left and right parties made gains, the far right scored a big win and niece on the French Riviera. Gregois, long a behind-the-scenes figure, had served as Hidalgo's top deputy, handling budgets, urban planning, and public services before stepping. Up, Parisians responded positively to his focus on local issues over flashy media presence. He shared his own painful past as a child abuse survivor from after-school activities, tying it to recent school scandals in the city.

1:01Critics questioned his record, but voters saw him as grounded and approachable. Gregois led a coalition of socialist, greens, and communists, rejecting ties with the harder left France unbout over value differences. He mended a brief riff with Hidalgo, who endorsed him and greeted his victory warmly. Housing emerged as his top priority, vowing to build 60,000 affordable units. Right away, he's targeting tourist rentals like Airbnb to keep neighborhoods livable while expanding bike lanes and cleaning the same. With Paris facing big city challenges like speculation and crowds, Gregois aims to balance locals and visitors in the years ahead.