Toulouse is poised for a new political direction as the two leading left-wing candidates in the first round of the municipal election have agreed to merge their lists, aiming to unseat incumbent Mayor Jean-Luc Moudenc.
François Piquemal, representing La France Insoumise (LFI), will head the unified mayoral ticket, while François Briançon of the Socialist Party (PS) will seek the presidency of the Toulouse metropolitan area, according to an agreement reached following Sunday’s initial vote. The combined forces of the two left-wing lists garnered nearly 52% of the vote in the first round, presenting a significant challenge to Moudenc, who secured 37.23% as a center-right independent (DVD).
Piquemal extended an olive branch to Briançon immediately after the first round results were announced, recognizing the demand to consolidate opposition to Moudenc. “The objective is to beat Jean-Luc Moudenc,” Piquemal stated, paving the way for the subsequent agreement.
The alliance, although, is not without its internal complexities. Carole Delga, president of the Occitanie region and a prominent figure in the Socialist Party, had previously cautioned against an alliance with LFI. Despite this and a reported appeal from former President François Hollande to refrain from such a partnership, Briançon moved forward with the agreement. “I’m in favor of it, the people of Toulouse want it,” Briançon insisted, stating he had informed Olivier Faure, the first secretary of the Socialist Party.
Both candidates affirmed a shared program, having resolved key points of contention. However, disagreements remain, notably regarding the proposed Toulouse-Bordeaux high-speed rail line (LGV), to which LFI is opposed. Piquemal acknowledged these differences, stating, “We will not change our opinions; on these points, we will have a debate in the metropolitan council and we will vote.”
The 2026 Toulouse municipal election is scheduled for a second round on March 22nd. The outcome will determine the composition of the 69-member Municipal Council, with 35 seats required for a majority. Jean-Luc Moudenc, first elected mayor in 2014 and re-elected in 2020, is seeking a third consecutive term. He previously served as mayor from 2004 to 2008, and ran with the support of The Republicans (LR), Renaissance (RE), and Horizons (HOR) in 2020, after leaving LR in 2022.
Julien Leonardelli, representing the Rassemblement National (RN), secured no seats in the last election and remains a distant contender in the upcoming runoff.
