France Rugby Legend Serge Blanco Elected Mayor of Biarritz After Stunning Political Win
- Serge Blanco, celebrated French rugby fullback and former Les Bleus star, has made a surprising move into politics by running for mayor of his lifelong hometown, Biarritz
- In a tightly contested run-off, Blanco secured 41 per cent of the vote, defeating two rivals and marking a decisive win that has captured national attention
- After decades of shaping French rugby both on the field and in leadership roles, Blanco now plans to revitalise Biarritz, bringing his vision and experience from sports to civic life
A French rugby legend, Serge Blanco, has been elected mayor of Biarritz after a sensational victory on Sunday, 22 March 2026.
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Blanco earned 93 caps for Les Bleus, helped the team reach the 1987 Rugby World Cup final and won several Five Nations titles before retiring from Test rugby in 1991. Blanco won the mayoral election with 41 per cent of the vote, defeating Maïder Arosteguy and Ana Ezcurra.
Blanco’s rugby legacy and leadership
Following his retirement, Blanco remained deeply involved in rugby. He became president of Biarritz Olympique in 1995, a position he held until 1998, before moving on to the Ligue Nationale de Rugby. Under his leadership, he worked to professionalise rugby in France and expand the sport’s reach nationwide. Later, Blanco worked with the French Rugby Union from 2012 to 2016, further cementing his influence on French rugby.
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Blanco announced his political ambitions in December 2025, citing his passion for Biarritz and his desire to revitalise the city. In the first round of the municipal elections, he secured 27 per cent of the vote, advancing to the run-off, where he ultimately claimed victory. Other rugby figures such as Mohed Altrad, Mourad Boudjellal, and David Gérard also ran for office in Montpellier and Toulon, but none succeeded.
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Encounters with South African rugby legends
Blanco’s France did not participate in official Springbok tours during most of the 1980s due to the international sporting ban on apartheid South Africa. However, France faced South African players in unofficial or invitational matches, and Blanco competed against some of the era’s top South African talents in club or international fixtures outside South Africa.
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Rugby legends such as Naas Botha, the renowned fly-half who recently announced his relocation to the USA, and Frik du Preez, whose prime was slightly earlier, were contemporaries or near-contemporaries of Blanco. These encounters, mostly during European tours or test-style matches, showed the international calibre of Blanco’s rugby career.
French rugby has recently been under the spotlight, with the national team captain facing a salary cap scandal and one of its stars hospitalised due to a heart condition, forcing early retirement. Blanco’s election signals a new chapter for a figure whose impact on the sport has been long-lasting both on and off the field.
Rugby legend's death linked to heart condition
Briefly News previously reported that a coroner disclosed the cause of death of New Zealand rugby legend Connor Garden-Bachop, who passed away in June 2024.
The 25-year-old, who played for the Highlanders and New Zealand Maori, died suddenly while staying with family in Christchurch, leaving rugby fans in New Zealand and around the world shocked.
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Source: Briefly News
