Dati vs. Barnier: the date of the partial legislative elections in Paris set for September 21 and 28

We have the date, all that's missing is the popcorn. The legislative by-election in Paris's second constituency, which is expected to see former Prime Minister Michel Barnier face off against Culture Minister Rachida Dati, will take place on September 21 and 28, according to a decree published this Wednesday, August 6 in the Official Journal. "Voters in Paris' second constituency are summoned on Sunday, September 21, to elect their deputy to the National Assembly," states the decree signed by Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau. The second round will take place on September 28, the text adds.

Culture Minister Rachida Dati announced her candidacy for the by-election at the end of July, launching hostilities against her LR colleague Michel Barnier, who is running for the same deputy position and has obtained the party's nomination . Rachida Dati affirmed that she would be a candidate "no matter what" , accusing Barnier of running to serve "presidential ambitions" . The latter urged her not to "make a mistake" in the election , believing that she had "a legitimate ambition" for the Paris mayoralty in 2026.

"A clever (and lucid) mind could quite easily link this hasty decision by Bruno Retailleau to the date of the hearing that is to set the date for Rachida Dati's trial. The hearing will be held on September 29. The day after the second round," Luc Broussy, president of the Socialist Party's national council, quipped on X. The mayor of the 7th arrondissement was indeed sent on trial on July 22 for corruption and influence peddling, suspected of having received €900,000 between 2010 and 2012 for consulting services with a subsidiary of the Renault-Nissan alliance, but without having actually worked, even though she was a lawyer and a member of the European Parliament. She has appealed the decision. "If the legislative elections had been convened, as was logical, for September 28 and October 5, the hearing date would have fallen between the two rounds," Luc Broussy added on X. Madame Dati can therefore say thank you to Bruno Retailleau and Gérald Darmanin.”

For the moment, only one other person is officially a candidate in this election: Thierry Mariani, former MP for Vaucluse and former minister in the Sarkozy government, who is running this time under the banner of the National Rally. According to information from Le Parisien , the Macronist minister responsible for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Affairs, Clara Chappaz, is expected to be nominated by Ensemble pour la République (EPR).

This by-election comes after the Constitutional Council's decision to declare Jean Laussucq (EPR) ineligible for election due to irregularities in his campaign accounts. Two other MPs, Stéphane Vojetta (constituency for French people abroad, EPR) and Brigitte Barèges (Tarn-et-Garonne, UDR), were also declared ineligible on the same day. The dates for the by-elections in their constituencies have not yet been announced.