The mayors of the 308 largest cities in France are predominantly male, average nearly 60 years of age, and have been in office for just over 11 years.
A recent analysis of the mayors of France's larger cities reveals that the individuals governing communes with populations over 30,000 are primarily male and older, averaging close to 60 years of age and serving just over 11 years in their roles. Despite the requirement for parity in electoral lists, the representation of women remains significantly low, with only 60 females occupying mayoral positions across the 308 cities, making up less than 20% of the total.
Among the 308 cities sampled, which includes 287 communes with more than 30,000 inhabitants and 21 prefectures with smaller populations, approximately 60% of mayors belong to right-wing political parties. The study highlights that these cities, comprising only a fraction of France's total 34,745 communes, account for a substantial portion of the country's population, housing 22.3 million people, or about 37% of the overall demographic.
The findings underscore both the political landscape and demographic trends among local governance in France. As the nation grapples with issues of gender representation and political diversity, these statistics provide insight into the prevailing structures and challenges facing municipal leaders. The dominance of older, male politicians suggests a need for more significant reforms to encourage a more diverse representation in French politics that reflects the demographic makeup of the populous cities.
