Sandrine Lechevallier Champions Gender Parity in Local Politics as Mayoral Candidate

Sandrine Lechevallier, a municipal councilor since 2020 and assistant director at the Departmental Fire and Rescue Service in Manche, is set to run for mayor in Théreval, a town of 1,775 inhabitants. Highlighting her seamless progression from councilor to head of the electoral list, Lechevallier emphasizes that political engagement is rooted in convictions and competencies, not gender. She notes that while women's representation in municipal councils has improved, executive leadership roles remain disproportionately male-dominated.

Lechevallier acknowledges the challenges women face, particularly balancing political duties with personal life, but stresses the importance of gender parity, stating, "A democracy that excludes half of its competencies weakens itself." Encouragingly, she found it manageable to recruit a balanced team for her list, with some women feeling reassured by her leadership.

Drawing on her work at SDIS alongside elected officials, she feels well-prepared to deepen her involvement in local governance. Lechevallier advocates for a cultural shift in politics to better support women’s career paths and leadership aspirations. Her testimony on International Women’s Day underscores the ongoing need to reinforce women’s roles in local political leadership for a more representative democracy.