Paris mayoral candidate Sophia Chikirou briefly breaks electoral silence with social media post

Sunday 22 March 2026 - 12:45

Sophia Chikirou, the Sophia Chikirou deputy and candidate for the Paris mayoralty representing the far-left party La France Insoumise (LFI), briefly broke the electoral silence during the second round of the municipal elections in Paris by posting on X about the issue of after-school programs.

At 9:08 a.m. on election day, Chikirou shared a post originally published by the media outlet Les Grandes Gueules, referencing comments by Paris Deputy Mayor Audrey Pulvar acknowledging “dysfunctions” in after-school programs. Chikirou added that she had submitted a parliamentary resolution in December 2025 to investigate these programs and claimed she would fight to “reveal the system that allowed infiltration of pedocriminals in the Paris public school system.”

The post remained online for about forty minutes before being deleted. Under Article L49 of the French Electoral Code, candidates are prohibited from continuing campaign communications, including social media posts, from midnight on the day before the election. Violations can result in fines of up to €15,000 or temporary ineligibility.

Legal experts noted that the quick removal of the post could be considered “good faith,” and authorities are unlikely to pursue serious penalties. Chikirou’s team attributed the incident to an inadvertent error rather than a deliberate breach of electoral law.