A well-known media figure among Montpellier residents, comedian and video maker Rémi Gaillard announced his candidacy for the 2026 municipal elections in early February. Six years after a first attempt that surprised the local political landscape, he has chosen to return to the electoral arena, with the stated ambition of offering an alternative to traditional parties.

A Montpellier Native with an Atypical Path

Born and based in Montpellier, Rémi Gaillard became known in the early 2000s for his humorous videos broadcast on the Internet, mixing pranks, provocations, and urban performances. His viral success allowed him to acquire national and international fame, while maintaining a strong local foothold.

Over the years, his public image has evolved. Alongside his videos, Gaillard has engaged in militant causes, notably animal rights, multiplying awareness-raising actions against bullfighting, hunting, and certain industrial practices. A commitment that has earned him as much support as criticism, but which has contributed to gradually politicizing his discourse.

A First Political Experience in 2020

The 2026 candidacy is a continuation of a first electoral engagement in 2020, when Rémi Gaillard ran for mayor of Montpellier at the head of a non-partisan list. At the time, his candidacy was greeted with skepticism by part of the political class, before creating a surprise at the ballot box.

With nearly 9.5% of the votes in the first round, he established himself as a political actor in his own right, ahead of several lists from traditional parties. This score highlighted a real expectation for candidacies outside partisan frameworks, in a context of growing distrust towards institutional politics.

Although the 2020 adventure did not translate into a victory, it had a lasting impact on the local debate and established Rémi Gaillard as a credible political interlocutor, beyond his image as a comedian.

An Assumed Anti-System Positioning

In 2026, Rémi Gaillard once again claims a positioning outside of parties. He presents himself as an independent candidate, critical of traditional political formations and of what he describes as a confiscation of municipal power by apparatus logic.

He particularly targets the outgoing majority, which he accuses of governing the city without real consideration for popular expectations. In his first statements, he insists on the need to make municipal politics more accessible, more transparent, and closer to the daily lives of inhabitants.

His discourse explicitly addresses those who feel excluded from the political game: abstainers, young people, residents of working-class neighborhoods, or citizens disillusioned by broken promises.

Why Run Again in 2026?

According to Rémi Gaillard, this new candidacy responds to a double observation. On the one hand, that of a feeling of political stagnation in Montpellier, despite apparent alternations and recompositions. On the other hand, that of an ever-more marked democratic crisis of confidence.

He claims to want to learn the lessons of 2020, by proposing a more structured approach and a municipal project built progressively, without depending on traditional financing or partisan logic. As in his previous campaign, he announces his intention to run a sober campaign, largely based on social networks and citizen engagement.

Among the first avenues mentioned are proposals around public space, urban ecology, and the place of culture, with a stated desire to break with major projects judged disconnected from the real needs of inhabitants.

A Candidacy That Reshuffles the Cards

In an already fragmented Montpellier political landscape, Rémi Gaillard's candidacy adds an additional element of uncertainty. Capable of capturing part of the protest or abstentionist electorate, he could weigh on the balances of the first round, or even influence the strategies of other lists.

It remains to be seen whether he will succeed in transforming his notoriety and popularity capital into a lasting political dynamic, and in convincing beyond his historical base. One thing is certain: with this return, Rémi Gaillard intends to remind everyone that the municipal battle will not be played out solely between parties, but also on the terrain of democratic distrust and the need for political renewal.