A few weeks after the municipal elections and the election or reelection of nearly 35,000 mayors, it is important to remember that urban mobility is an issue that concerns us all, regardless of political affiliation.
Seeking to promote a particular type of mobility—whether it is sustainable, low-carbon, helps reduce congestion in urban centers, or works to make transportation more accessible to all—are all ways to shape a city’s mobility policy. These are all paths that converge, intersect, and complement one another to create a peaceful and inclusive city.
Within the mobility and parking sector, we have observed a profound shift in how people view different mobility solutions. Changes in cities, the regulatory framework, and residents’ expectations have accelerated the depoliticization of transportation. At the same time, the expansion of available options—from hybrid cars to electric utility vehicles, electric scooters, and cargo bikes—has created a need for solutions tailored to each individual situation. And cities have recognized this. Bike lanes have multiplied, electric vehicle charging stations are popping up everywhere, and the relocation of parking structures underground is revitalizing historic city centers—regardless of political affiliation.
This shift is important for understanding that today, mobility policy is not—as some might think—a purely political issue, but rather an adaptation to the changing needs of the population. The French are not calling for a radical transformation imposed from one side—an all-bike or all-car approach—but rather a variety of options. The data confirms this unequivocally: according to the INDIGO 2025 Parking Observatory survey conducted with IFOP, 85% of French people still regularly use a gasoline-powered car. At the same time, 58% expect car parks to serve as multimodal hubs, 55% want more bike racks, and 54% want more charging stations. These figures do not contradict each other—they are cumulative. These are the same French people who drive in the morning and want to charge their electric cars in the evening. These are the same residents who might ride a bike one day and drive a car the next. A city that’s entirely bike-based, just like a city that’s entirely car-based, doesn’t exist; however, a city that embraces all forms of mobility is becoming a reality throughout France.
What the public debate tends to overlook is the extent of the consensus. The Keolis/IFOP study from November 2025 is revealing in this regard: across all political spectrums, the French would like to allocate one-third of the municipal budget to mobility. And the difference in the share specifically allocated to cycling between a left-leaning citizen (12%) and a far-right citizen (10%) is only two percentage points. At the same time, the economic impact of parking is also underestimated: a 2024 CCI France study already revealed that 43% of retailers felt that parking availability was insufficient for their customers and considered the issue key to the attractiveness of the city center.
If there is any politicization of the debate—in the sense of civic life—it centers much more on the vision of the city of the future and the ambition to support this movement, to take a proactive role in developing this multimodal city, capable of enhancing both quality of life and accessibility. Urban planning is a long-term endeavor, and those who invest today—who envision the future of their city—are building the cities that tomorrow will serve as benchmarks for others. Dogma does not hold up for long in the face of real needs—and perhaps even less so when it comes to urban planning. We in France have undeniable strengths, both in terms of mobility options and urban infrastructure; let us seize these opportunities to make our cities global models of sustainable development.
Sébastien Fraisse, Chairman of the Executive Board of INDIGO