Anne Hidalgo was born in Andalusia, but when she was 2 years old, her family fled to France from the Franco regime.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo is the candidate of the French Socialist Party for next year’s presidential election, DPA reported.
Sixty-two-year-old Hidalgo was elected by a vote in the party, defeating former Le Mans agriculture minister and mayor Stephen Le Fol, French Socialist Party chairman Olivier Faure announced late last night.
In a short speech, Hidalgo said she was focused on the idea of progress, social justice and the rule of law, as well as the promise of equality. She said she wanted to be the voice of French women. Other important areas mentioned by her are environmental protection and the fight against climate change – problems with which she has committed herself as mayor of Paris.
Hidalgo was born in Spain. She is the daughter of an electrician and a seamstress, DPA notes. Anne Hidalgo has been mayor of Paris since 2014. In the polls for the presidential election, she garnered 5-7 percent approval.
The election is scheduled for April 22. Incumbent President Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen are currently considered the most promising candidates.
In some opinion polls, far-right Eric Zemour has been put before Le Pen, although he has not officially announced his candidacy,
Elections begin in April 2022 and support for Hidalgo is currently around 8%. President Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen are supported by 20-24% of voters.
As one of several celebrities on the left, the 62-year-old Spanish-born socialist promises a more “green” economy, a revival of production in old industrial centers, work for an EU for citizens and better education. But her team has yet to describe in more detail how she envisions achieving this.
After Paris was chosen to host the next Olympics, Hidalgo gained a little more political weight, but it is still relatively unknown outside the capital, Reuters reported. According to analysts quoted by the agency, the hope for some success requires the support of at least the far left and the Greens.
