Council of Paris

Council of Paris. The Council of Paris is the unique deliberative assembly governing the City of Paris, combining the functions of a municipal council and a departmental council. Established by the law of 31 December 1968, it administers both the municipal affairs of the capital of France and the departmental competencies for the territory of Paris, which holds a special status as both a commune and a department. The council is presided over by the Mayor of Paris and convenes in the historic Hôtel de Ville.

History

The creation of the Council of Paris was a direct result of the political reorganization of the Capital of France following the events of May 68. Prior to 1968, Paris was the only French commune without a mayor, being administered directly by the Prefect of Police and the Prefect of the Seine under the oversight of the Minister of the Interior. The law of 31 December 1968, promulgated under President Charles de Gaulle and Prime Minister Maurice Couve de Murville, reestablished a municipal authority for Paris, though with powers initially more limited than those of other cities. A significant expansion of its authority occurred with the Loi PLM of 1982, associated with Interior Minister Gaston Defferre and the decentralization policies of President François Mitterrand, which granted it status equivalent to other departmental councils.

Composition and election

The Council of Paris is composed of 163 councillors elected for a six-year term by Universal suffrage in a two-round majoritarian system. The city is divided into 17 sectoral constituencies, corresponding to the arrondissements, each electing a number of councillors proportional to its population. The electoral system favors the formation of stable majorities, and the council elects the Mayor of Paris from among its members. The first mayor elected under this modern system was Jacques Chirac in 1977, followed by Jean Tiberi, Bertrand Delanoë, and the current mayor, Anne Hidalgo.

Powers and functions

The council exercises a dual mandate, managing both municipal competencies such as urban planning, local transport including the operation of the RATP bus network, schools, culture, and sport, and departmental responsibilities including social action, child protection, and the management of collèges. It votes on the budget for both the City and the Department of Paris, enacts local regulations known as *arrêtés*, and oversees major urban projects like the Réinventer Paris initiative and the transformation of the Seine banks.

Political dynamics

Political control of the council has shifted between the center-right and the left over decades. It was dominated by the Gaullist right under Jacques Chirac and Jean Tiberi until 2001. The left, led by the Socialist Party's Bertrand Delanoë, then held a majority from 2001 until 2014. The current majority, under Anne Hidalgo, is a coalition of the Socialists, Greens, and Communists. The opposition is led by The Republicans and includes representatives from Renaissance, the Rassemblement National, and other groups, leading to vigorous debates on issues like the 15-minute city, pollution, and housing.

Notable sessions and decisions

Historically significant sessions include the council's vote in 2001 to create the Paris Plages summer event and the 2007 decision to launch the Vélib' bike-sharing system. In 2015, it declared Paris a "City of Refuge" following the European migrant crisis. A landmark 2017 session saw the council approve the "Plan Climat Énergie" aiming for carbon neutrality, and in 2021, it endorsed the ambitious transformation of the Champs-Élysées and the Place de la Concorde. The council also plays a ceremonial role during events like the Liberation of Paris anniversaries and in awarding the Grand Vermeil medal.

Category:Government of Paris Category:Local government in France Category:1968 establishments in France