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Sarah Knafo Launches Paris Mayoral Bid as Campaign Site Draws Racist Posts and Data Flaw

Early reactions from rivals center on rejected alliances following a rocky site launch.

Overview

  • Sarah Knafo, Reconquête MEP and party’s lone national elected official, announced her Paris mayoral run on TF1 on January 7 and ruled out a 2027 presidential bid.
  • Knafo outlined a platform featuring nearly €10 billion in savings, a pledge to halve property tax, and at least two referendums each year if elected.
  • Her participatory site, Paris à cœur ouvert, quickly displayed racist submissions and was reported by a security researcher to expose contributor data; her team said it was a rapid hack fixed within minutes and has notified the CNIL.
  • The campaign says many hateful posts came from a single IP address and has removed them, while left-wing officials denounced the content and signaled possible legal action.
  • Recent polling places Knafo at about 7%—level with RN’s Thierry Mariani—making the 10% second‑round threshold a key target as figures like Pierre‑Yves Bournazel and Jean‑François Copé reject any tie‑up with Reconquête.