Openly gay centre-right politician Gil Avérous re-elected mayor of Châteauroux, France

Gil Avérous, an openly gay and independent centre-right politician, has been elected mayor of Châteauroux for the third time . In the municipal elections of March 15, 2026, his list won in the first round with 68.24% of the vote.

Châteauroux is a city in central France and the administrative centre of the Indre department in the Centre-Val de Loire region. It has a population of about 44,000–45,000. By French standards it is a small city, but for its department it remains the administrative centre.

Avérous first took office in Châteauroux in 2014. He was then re-elected in 2020, and now again in 2026. Until late 2023, he belonged to Les Républicains, but left the party after disagreements with its leadership. Since then, he has presented himself as an independent centre-right politician.

In local politics, Avérous focuses on supporting business and town-centre shops, creating jobs, improving security, and upgrading the urban environment. He also backs higher taxes on cheap small parcels from major e-commerce platforms in order to protect local commerce. In addition, he supports legalising cannabis, arguing that a regulated market would be a more effective tool against illegal trafficking than the current ban.

On migration, Avérous argues for a stricter and more organised approach. He criticises a practice whereby the state moves migrants from Paris to provincial towns at the last minute without consulting local authorities, without a clear accommodation plan, and without individual follow-up. At the same time, he stresses that he is not opposed to immigrants as such: in his view, reception and integration should be organised.

In the autumn of 2024, Avérous spent several months as Minister of Sport in the government of Michel Barnier.

After his re-election in 2020, Avérous said: “Being homosexual is not a handicap in politics.” He has been in a relationship with his partner Philippe since 2003, and they were married in 2024.

Municipal elections in France are held using party lists. If a list wins an absolute majority in the first round, no second round is held. Avérous’s result of 68.24% therefore means a clear victory without a runoff.