Jean-Louis Roumégas, the Green Party’s lead candidate for Printemps Montpelliérain (EELV), has unveiled his platform for the 2026 municipal elections in Montpellier. He is banking on a radical change of model, denouncing the city’s excessive overdevelopment and promising completely free school cafeterias. His objective is clear: to strengthen local democracy and improve the daily lives of Montpellier residents through a series of ambitious measures.A desire to break with the past Jean-Louis Roumégas, a former Montpellier city councilor and longtime ally of the Socialists, is proposing a true “pact of rupture” for the city. His central theme: a change of model is necessary. He openly criticizes the legacy of Michaël Delafosse’s predecessors, particularly Georges Frêche’s approach, which, according to him, resulted in rampant urbanization. “We have to stop this rampant overdevelopment,” he declares, emphasizing that 80% of the city’s land is already paved over. Roumégas advocates for a “rebuilding the city within the city” approach. Local democracy at the heart of the project One of the cornerstones of his platform is the democratization of municipal governance. The Green Party candidate criticizes the fact that municipal projects are often decided without genuine consultation with residents. He cites concrete examples such as the
Cité Bergère
or the
ZAC Mosson
. For him, municipal policy must first and foremost address the daily needs of Montpellier residents. Focus on childhood and education Roumégas also emphasizes childhood and education, considering these areas to be priorities. He proposes five key measures, including completely free school lunches for 13,000 children, at an estimated cost of €3.5 million. Before- and after-school care hours would be extended and free, running from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. School cafeterias would serve 100% organic or locally sourced products, without plastic containers, and all schoolyards would be landscaped with greenery. According to Roumégas, “only 20 out of 130 schools are currently being renovated,” which he considers insufficient. Project Funding
Jean-Louis Roumégas believes that the total cost for these measures, around €6 million, is “far from insurmountable” compared to the municipality’s current expenditures. He advocates for a reallocation of resources, arguing that these expenses are justified by the positive impact on citizens’ daily lives.
An open but uncompromising political project
Politically, Roumégas’s path does not involve an agreement with La France Insoumise, although he remains open to dialogue. He promises to unveil the rest of his program in the coming weeks, addressing issues such as housing, security, and urban planning. This program aims to break with the city’s current system.
To follow developments in Montpellier’s political scene and potential alliances, you can consult
this article as well as this one .