The political scene in Lyon is gearing up to be quite exciting in 2026! With just one year to go before the municipal elections, a Cluster 17 survey revealed by actu Lyon is shaking things up: Grégory Doucet, the outgoing ecologist mayor, is at the top of the voting intentions with 22%, but his actions are largely rejected by the people of Lyon. With 58% negative opinions, his record struggles to convince, especially on sensitive issues like traffic, safety, and construction, which are really getting on the nerves of the population.
But the real surprise from this survey comes from an unexpected outsider: Jean-Michel Aulas. The former boss of OL, who is considering officially entering the race, comes in second with 17% of the voting intentions. Running without a political label, he attracts some of the right-leaning voters and socialists close to Rapha&eum.
l;l Glucksmann. His positioning as a “civil society candidate” could really shake up the electoral game.Jean-Michel Aulas, an outsider gaining momentum
The poll highlights a surge in candidacies that weakens traditional parties. The Republicans, led by Pierre Oliver, are topping out at 11%, partly due to the Aulas dynamic drawing away some of their voters. And even though Doucet is only at 22%, a union with LFI and the PS (which are part of his current majority) could boost him to a potential over 44%.
In this context, Aulas has a card to play. His potential for growth is significant, provided he runs a striking campaign and establishes himself as a credible alternative to a struggling incumbent mayor. The poll reveals that he is, along with former mayor Georges Képénikian, one of the few figures competing in terms of both notoriety and credibility.
ec Doucet.We still need to see if Jean-Michel Aulas will officially take the leap and if the alliances will reshape by 2026. One thing is for sure: the battle for Lyon is just getting started!