Where Do We Stand in 2026?
The movement of citizen‑led and participatory lists defines itself by a desire to change the rules of local governance outside traditional political parties. Its main criteria include the de‑professionalization of elected officials, the development of programs through citizen mobilization, and the creation of institutions enabling residents to participate directly in public action. Rapidly expanding, the movement has grown from 400 candidate lists in 2020 to nearly 700 expected for the 2026 elections.
In Le Monde on March 12, political scientist Guillaume Gourgues, co‑author of Des citoyens à la conquête des villes(with Myriam Bachir, Rémi Lefebvre, Jessica Sainty, CNRS, 2023), offers a mixed assessment of the citizen‑list movement and warns of the “political resignation” threatening local democracy.
Assessment of the 2020–2026 Term
- While openness allowed many newcomers to enter politics, the sociological profile of elected officials remains largely composed of managers and degree‑holders.
- The municipalities won (such as Poitiers or La Crèche) implemented progressive policies focused on ecology and social justice, notably through short supply chains in school canteens or social housing.
- Mechanisms such as randomly selected citizens’ assemblies or the right to petition‑based interpellation were tested to encourage more horizontal decision‑making.
Institutional Obstacles and Limitations
The movement runs up against a “municipal monarchy” and a rigid institutional framework. The main obstacles identified are:
- Administrative constraints:
The complexity of decentralization rules, relations with prefectures, and the weight of inter‑municipal structures limit room for maneuver.
The State imposes savings while transferring expenses to local authorities.
Electoral victory sometimes absorbed the energy of grassroots collectives, leaving little strength to maintain momentum on the ground after the election.
For Guillaume Gourgues, the survival of local citizen dynamics depends on resisting political resignation. He stresses the need to:
- Restore residents’ capacity for self‑organization.
- Defend associative counter‑powers against pressures toward depoliticization and demands for neutrality.
- Demonstrate that local democracy can truly transform daily life despite institutional obstacles.
We will watch with interest the impact of the 700 citizen lists in the upcoming municipal elections.
Dominique Bénard.
(Photo: campaign posters for the 2014 municipal elections in Laval. Author: Gwendal. Creative Commons Attribution‑Share Alike 3.0 Unported)
