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The race for Paris mayor hung in the balance Monday as a right-wing former minister hoping to wrest control of the French capital from the left claimed she had gained key support for a second-round run-off.

Leftist mayors have transformed Paris over the past 25 years to include countless cycling lanes, a cleaner Seine river, and even fresher air.

France is gearing up for municipal elections this month, with a presidential candidate testing his popularity and the far right eyeing gains ahead of a crunch vote for the country's top job next year.

The Socialist mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, acclaimed by supporters for squeezing traffic in the city centre but accused by opponents of failin…