Tens of thousands of people filled the streets of Paris on Saturday for the annual Pride march, a show of defiance for LGBTQ+ rights at a moment when France's political landscape is shifting toward the far right. The event, organized by Inter-LGBT, drew around fifty associations and a broad cross-section of the capital's diverse communities.
The march set off from Place d'Italie in the south of the city and wound its way to Place de la Bastille in the east, where a concert capped off the afternoon. The route itself carried symbolic weight: the Bastille, once a fortress of royal authority, now a rallying point for popular movements.
Alexandre Schon, co-president of Inter-LGBT, framed the march as a political statement with the presidential election just months away. “We are just a few months away from the presidential election, so we are calling on LGBT+ people and allies to mobilize for a future based on solidarity,” he said. “We must stand up against the far right.”
Schon warned that the gains of recent decades could be rolled back, pointing to developments abroad. “We could be the next targets,” he said, noting that in the United States and Senegal, LGBTQ+ rights are “under attack.” His remarks echoed a broader anxiety among European activists who see a coordinated push against minority rights across the continent.
The march drew prominent left-wing figures, including Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of La France Insoumise, and Green MP Sandrine Rousseau. Mélenchon took to X to argue that sexual orientation and gender identity are not choices, adding: “As long as one hasn't understood that, one is not a fully realized human being. Rights must follow. Gender freedom must be declarative. The process must be simplified.”
Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire, who led the march, underscored the persistent dangers facing the community. “LGBTQIA+ venues are still being threatened, attacked, discriminated against, and subjected to violence and intimidation,” he said. In a separate post on X, he called for stronger protection of these spaces and for increased resources for the associations that support them.
The timing of this year's Pride was unusual. Normally held in June to commemorate the Stonewall riots of 1969 in New York, the event was postponed because of a heatwave that gripped France in late June. Organizers chose to keep the original date's historical resonance, even as they moved the celebration to a cooler weekend.
Paris Pride arrives amid a broader climate of social unrest in France. In recent weeks, student protests have turned violent in Paris, Toulouse, and Lille, and hundreds have been detained as demonstrations spread beyond the capital. The far right's rising popularity has added a layer of urgency to these mobilizations, with many activists drawing parallels between the fight for LGBTQ+ rights and other social justice battles.
For many participants, the march was as much about visibility as about policy. “We are here to show that we exist, that we are part of this city and this country,” said Camille, a 24-year-old student who traveled from Lyon. “The far right wants us to disappear. We refuse.”
The event also served as a reminder of the fragility of progress. While France legalized same-sex marriage in 2013, activists point to persistent gaps in protections for transgender people, surrogacy, and access to healthcare. The next government, they argue, will determine whether those gaps widen or close.
As the sun set over the Bastille, the crowd dispersed, but the political message lingered. With the presidential election approaching, the LGBTQ+ community and its allies have made clear that they will not cede the streets—or the ballot box—without a fight.
