Nathalie Koenders secured a decisive victory in the second round of the Dijon municipal elections, capturing 58,4% of the vote according to results published by France Télévisions. The Socialist Party incumbent defeated right-wing candidate Emmanuel Bichot, who finished with 30,7% of the vote, and UDR-RN candidate Thierry Coudert, who gathered 10,9%. The outcome extends a streak of Socialist leadership in the capital of the ducs de Bourgogne that began in 2001, following François Rebsamen’s departure from office after 22 years in November 2024.
Municipal Election Results and Political Realignments in Dijon
The municipal runoff on March 22, 2026, cemented Nathalie Koenders‘ position as mayor after she assumed the role from her long-standing predecessor as first deputy. Emmanuel Bichot, running for the “Agir pour Dijon” coalition, acknowledged his defeat prior to the official announcement of the 23:00 final results. Bichot criticized the returning administration’s platform, telling France 3 Bourgogne that the municipality relied on a coalition involving left-wing and radical elements.
The election operated under new rules established by the municipal law of May 2025. The legislation instituted a two-round proportional voting system for French communes, awarding a majority bonus of 50% of the seats to the winning list at the second round alongside mandatory gender-alternating candidate lists. At the initial stage, Koenders led the field, ahead of Bichot and Coudert, out of an initial eight competing candidate lists.
Arrest of Suspects Following the Champollion College Arson
According to a municipal press release, Mayor Nathalie Koenders welcomed the arrest of five suspects on January 20, 2026, in connection with an arson attack targeting the Jean-François Champollion college.
The fire occurred during the night of December 12 to 13. In her public statement, Koenders commended the Police nationale and judicial services for what she termed a determined response, noting that targeting educational establishments threatens core public institutions and youth protection spaces. The city administration stated that local security measures and anti-trafficking efforts would continue without compromise alongside state forces.