Bangladeshi Candidates Make Significant Strides in France Municipal Elections

The first round of voting is scheduled for March 15, 2026, with a second round to follow on March 22 if required. More than half a dozen Bangladeshi-origin candidates are contesting from various influential panels in Paris and its surrounding suburbs, reflecting the growing influence of the community in mainstream French politics.

The list of active candidates includes seasoned figures and new faces alike. Experienced candidates like Rabbani Khan are contesting from the Épinay-sur-Seine area, while others such as NK Nayan and Abdus Samad are representing their respective panels in Villeneuve-sur-Seine. In La Courneuve, candidates Akash Barua and Nasir Uddin Bhuiyan have focused their campaigns on education and social harmony. Additionally, former national cricket player Zubaid Ahmed is contesting from Ivry-sur-Seine, and Sarouf Sodiol is running in the Saint-Denis district.

These candidates emphasize that their presence in local councils will allow them to directly address the specific challenges faced by the expatriate community, such as housing, education, and employment. Under the French electoral system, voters do not cast ballots for individual candidates but for an entire panel led by a mayoral candidate. Seats in the municipal council are then allocated proportionally based on the percentage of votes each panel receives. This collective participation is being hailed as a political awakening for Bangladeshis living in France, as they seek to bridge the gap between their community and the French administration.