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Paris Declares War on Rats Ahead of Contentious Local Elections

From underground tunnels to bustling streets, rats have overrun Paris for centuries. Now, politicians are racing to solve the crisis—but can they agree on how? The city's boldest plans yet spark fierce debate.

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1 min read
The image shows a paper with a drawing of a group of people and text that reads "The Political...
The image shows a paper with a drawing of a group of people and text that reads "The Political Mouse Trap, or, a Great Rat-Killer in an Uproar". The people in the drawing appear to be in a state of distress, with some of them looking up in fear and others looking down in confusion. The text implies that the political mouse trap is a great way to escape the rat-killer in an uproar.

Election campaign in Paris - Millions of rats cause controversy - Paris Declares War on Rats Ahead of Contentious Local Elections

Paris is stepping up efforts to tackle its long-standing rat problem as political candidates propose bold solutions ahead of local elections. The city’s streets and underground systems have faced persistent infestations, with estimates of rat numbers varying widely. Now, authorities and campaigners are debating how best to control the issue—from extermination to relocation. The scale of Paris’s rat population remains unclear. While some claim four to six million rats roam the city, officials dismiss such figures as unreliable. Counting rats in a sprawling urban environment is nearly impossible, they argue.

The problem has deep historical roots. In 1901, Paris even held a competition to find the best rat-catcher, but the rodents’ intelligence made eradication difficult. Over a century later, the city still battles the same issue.

Today, residents can report sightings via the Dans Ma Rue app, leading to around 7,000 pest control interventions each year. A 2017 action plan also aimed to cut waste—the rats’ main food source—but the problem persists.

Political candidates now promise tougher measures. Centrist Pierre-Yves Bournazel wants no rats visible above ground, citing public health risks. Conservative Rachida Dati plans a large-scale extermination campaign. Socialist Emmanuel Grégoire proposes stricter cleanliness rules and special police brigades. Left-wing candidate Sophia Chikirou calls the situation a 'rat crisis,' blaming the current council.

Not everyone supports extermination. City councillor Grégory Moreau argues for relocating rats instead, urging a more humane approach. The debate over Paris’s rats is heating up, with competing strategies on the table. Some push for stricter controls and extermination, while others advocate for relocation. Whatever the solution, the city’s next steps will shape how it manages one of its oldest urban challenges.

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