About 200 people welcomed the new municipal team with applause at the Plonéour-Lanvern (29) multipurpose hall in Pays Bigouden this Saturday. A true citizen momentum!
This town of 6,500 inhabitants experienced a “revolution” in the 2026 municipal elections. After fifty years of right-wing and center-right governance, the tide turned. A citizen and participatory list, with left-wing and ecological sensibilities, won the election, six years after an unsuccessful attempt. They won with 47% of the votes, against two center-right lists, including that of the incumbent mayor, who was behind by 33 points.
“This is a great citizen initiative in Brittany,” said Elisabeth Dau, director of studies at the cooperative that supported them.
The Finistère, Ille-et-Vilaine, and Morbihan departments are among the top five best represented in France. From Saint-Armel to Telgruc-sur-Mer, and from Kergrist to Malansac, these lists animated the municipal campaigns in Brittany.
“In France, participation was seven points higher on average (64.5%) in municipalities where such lists competed compared to those where they were absent. People crave democratic debate, but they reject the current political system,” explained Dau.
In Plonéour-Lanvern, participation increased by 16 points in six years, and the reshaped citizen list gained an additional 722 votes. The new mayor, Jean-Baptiste Huet, mentioned various tasks for his team to enhance citizen participation and involvement in decision-making processes.
“We see residents as active participants in city life, not just administrators,” emphasized the 63-year-old mayor.
On Saturday, he expressed his enthusiasm for starting his term with the community and aimed to involve all groups, including the minority factions, in this democratic renewal.
