Mathilde Panot, leader of the La France Insoumise (LFI) parliamentary group, announced that mayors elected from LFI in the 2026 municipal elections will disarm their municipal police forces and dismantle video surveillance systems. This proposal has sparked widespread political backlash across the French political spectrum. Critics argue that disarming the municipal police would endanger both officers and citizens, undermining public safety and security. Prominent voices from various parties, including the Socialist Party's Olivier Faure and local officials, have rejected the idea, emphasizing the increasing demand for armed municipal police to effectively maintain order. Some LFI members, like deputy Aurélien Le Coq and MP Éric Coquerel, have defended the position, suggesting that armament is not always essential for preventive police work and advocating for integrating municipal police into the national police. However, many police representatives, constitutional experts, and political figures warn that removing weapons from municipal police would expose them to greater risks amid rising urban violence. The debate has also revealed divisions within LFI, with some local LFI mayors reportedly strengthening police presence and surveillance contrary to Panot's stance. The controversy continues to fuel tensions ahead of the 2026 municipal elections, with calls from government ministers and opposition figures to prevent LFI from gaining mayoralties that would implement these security policy changes.