Sri Lanka, April 9 -- A French student of Sri Lankan origin, Bilaal Lookman, has been elected as a municipal councillor in his hometown of Guyancourt, on the outskirts of Paris, at just 18 years old, making him one of the youngest elected officials in France.

Lookman, a first-year law student at the prestigious Paris-Pantheon-Assas University, was both a voter and a candidate in France's municipal elections held on March 15 and 22, 2026. Born in November 2007 in France to a family with roots in Mannar and Jaffna, he secured a seat as part of the outgoing mayor's team.

His early interest in public affairs saw him engage with French institutions from a young age, completing internships at the offices of a Member of Parliament, a former Mi...