Younes El Moustir, a Moroccan-born entrepreneur and real estate agent, aims to be the first gay and diverse mayor of Montreal by challenging current Mayor Valérie Plante in the 2025 leadership race for Ensemble Montréal. At just 32, he seeks to address growing safety concerns in the city and improve affordable housing. With over 1,000 endorsements already collected, El Moustir believes his unique background and perspective as a newcomer could resonate with Montreal’s diverse population.
A Moroccan entrepreneur aims to become the first openly gay and diverse mayor by officially entering the Ensemble Montréal leadership race to challenge Mayor Valérie Plante in November 2025.
Younes El Moustir believes that residents are looking for genuine change rather than a career politician. “What they want, when they get up in the morning, is to feel safe and navigate the city easily,” he states.
At 32 years old, the real estate agent is the first candidate to declare his intent to seek the nomination from the party that serves as the official opposition at City Hall. To run, candidates must gather 200 signatures across 10 boroughs, but El Moustir claims to have already received over 1,000 endorsements from Montreal’s 19 boroughs.
This exceeds the 998 votes that secured the Projet Montréal nomination for Valérie Plante in 2016, he argues, as he prepares to formally submit his candidacy on Tuesday.
Desire for Change
As a resident and shopkeeper in the Village, Younes El Moustir has seen a rise in insecurity in his community. “Daily incidents in downtown Montreal—break-ins, vandalism—are becoming common. Some of my employees are reluctant to come to work,” he shares, highlighting the challenges faced by his RE/MAX office located on Sainte-Catherine Street East.
He expresses frustration over attempts to engage with the current administration for change. “There was no response. It’s always the same: attractive slogans that lead nowhere, and the results are lacking,” he critiques.
El Moustir feels this is especially true regarding the issue of affordable housing. “Members of the business community and social housing developers are eager to collaborate for solutions. However, they’re not being invited to the table,” he asserts.
Path from Precarity to Prosperity
How does he plan to address these issues? While he remains somewhat vague, he promises to return with a more comprehensive platform in the coming weeks. Yet, he is confident that his diverse background offers a tangible alternative to Mayor Plante’s leadership.
Having immigrated from Morocco at the age of 10, he grew up in the borough of Saint-Laurent. “We lived in a tiny three-and-a-half apartment with five people. I’ve experienced both precarity and prosperity,” he reflects.
El Moustir believes that Montreal is ready for its first mayor of immigrant descent, particularly given that a third of its residents were born abroad, according to Statistics Canada. Proudly openly gay, he identifies with “all diversities.”
Candidates have until December 15 to put their names forward for the leadership of Ensemble Montréal, with nominations concluded by February 16. Although rumors circulated that entrepreneur Luc Poirier might run for mayor, he has recently opted to join the cast of the Dragons show instead.
Another potential candidate considering a challenge to the current mayor is Gilbert Thibodeau from the Action Montréal party.
Younes El Moustir: A Snapshot
- Date of Birth: July 13, 1992, Rabat, Morocco
- Immigrated to Montreal in 2002 during the housing crisis
- Earned a certificate in animation and cultural research from UQAM in 2013
- Graduated in real estate brokerage from Collège LaSalle and Collège de l’immobilier du Québec
- A decade of experience in real estate, currently operates a RE/MAX boutique in the Village