Paris, the City of Light, seemed to have died out in recent years, with so many critical comments about the capital, from dirtiness to public transport, parking, insecurity, culture and architectural projects. Socialist Mayor Anne Hidalgo has taken the brunt of it, not exactly helped, it's true, by her management methods, her difficulty in acknowledging criticism and her bitter failure in the 2022 presidential election (where she got 1.74% of the vote).

With the success of the Olympic Games in Paris, Hidalgo has exacted revenge that is not just personal, but profoundly political. In front of the Ukrainian athletes gathered at the Hôtel de Ville on Thursday, August 1, she uttered a vibrant "Slava Ukraini!" ("Glory to Ukraine"), in the name of the spirit of the Olympics and the defense of democracy. "You have been applauded by the people of Paris and the people of France!" she told them.

In the stands of the Parc des Expositions at Porte de Versailles and at the Place de la Concorde, she observed with delight the joy that has gripped the French people. In her huge mayoral office, she expressed pride, anger, relief and several political messages.

Hidalgo has undoubtedly been boosted by this huge global publicity stunt for the city the former labor inspector has led since 2014. "When there's a shared feeling of fraternity, of sisterhood, of humanism, which makes us feel good, we Parisians, we French, we're proud!" the elected official proclaimed. "Something incredibly positive is happening, and even good news, I think, for humanity. Because there's a connection being made between people, on something, where they're saying: It's not completely over, we can be together and be happy together, we can enjoy meeting people so different from ourselves." She had this conviction to share: "The message of the far right, it's crushed by these Games and by [the opening] ceremony."

The mayor has come a long way, and she made no secret of it in the two interviews she had with Le Monde on August 2 and 5. Doubt? "By dint of taking and sending ourselves, buckets and buckets and buckets of..." She pauses. "I'm not going to say the word." She resumes: "Buckets of negative things in the face." But the first 11 days of the Olympics have been hailed almost unanimously, in France and abroad, for the ambition of the opening ceremony and for having placed the Games at the heart of the city. "We've managed to do that. We didn't think we could. Especially after years of bashing for me, years of destroying both a positive image of Paris, of what we are together, of the French, of this very special people who are always looked upon with astonishment and a little admiration from abroad."

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