Newly elected Black mayor of Saint-Denis, Bally Bagayoko, is facing a wave of racist attacks following his historic victory. Lilian Thuram condemned the abuse in an op-ed for Le Monde, warning that it perpetuates deep-rooted anti-Black stereotypes.
Acclaimed as a hero in the streets of Saint-Denis, Bagayoko, 52, an executive at the RATP (Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens) and a member of La France Insoumise, secured 50.8% of the vote. He decisively defeated the outgoing mayor, Mathieu Hanotin of the Parti Socialiste, who received 32.49%.
Reacting to the attacks, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of La France Insoumise, denounced what he described as “unacceptable racist aggression,” framing the backlash as evidence of enduring structural racism in French political life. Thuram echoed this view, stressing that such reactions reveal how deeply entrenched prejudice remains, even in moments of democratic progress.