[6] Appéré joined Edmond Hervé's electoral list for Rennes in the 2001 municipal elections, after which she was appointed deputy mayor for community living.

[4] Among her initiatives were the implementation of the "Sortir" tourism card, providing discounts for visitors to cultural and entertainment attractions in Rennes, as well as the rehabilitation of the city's heritage district.

The body is presided over by the Prime Minister of France and discusses issues surrounding municipal politics, neighbourhood public policy and territorial difficulties.

Speaking after receiving the nomination, she promised party activists that she would resign her executive offices in Rennes but also signalled that she would continue to sit on the city's municipal council.

[17][18][19] Appéré was elected to the National Assembly on 17 June 2012, winning 63.45% of the vote in the second round against Bertrand Plouvier of the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP).

[21] Although Appéré had previously stated her opposition to the law on the accumulation of electoral mandates several times, she ultimately announced that she would serve out her full term as deputy if she were to be elected to the mayoralty.

[22] Appéré was elected mayor of Rennes on 4 April 2014 with 55.83% of the vote in the second round after forming an alliance with the Europe Ecology – The Greens–Left Front electoral list.

[25] The beginning of Appéré's term was marked by several violent protests against the Grand Ouest Airport project in January 2016 as well as the El Khomri law between March and May of the same year.

[27] This led student protesters to interrupt a session of the Rennes municipal council on 2 May, calling for the mayor to put an end to police brutality.

The foundation announced that she had received the distinction for her housing policies, establishment of a participatory budget system and overseeing of demographic and economic development.

[44] In an interview with Ouest-France on 13 September, she confirmed that she would be a candidate in the upcoming municipal elections but would begin her campaign later than her competitors, citing her ongoing consideration of whether to run for the presidency of Rennes Métropole following the expected retirement of Socialist incumbent Emmanuel Couet.

[45] She received the endorsement of deputy François André, an independent affiliated with the La République En Marche group, four days later.

[47] The event also saw her announce the first planks of her platform, such as the creation of five rapid transit bus lines, which she called "trambuses," the laying out of 100 kilometres of safe bicycle lanes, the adoption of free public transit for riders under 12 years old, the planting of 30 000 trees in six years, the uncovering of the Vilaine river in front of the Palace of Commerce as well as the establishment of a nighttime municipal police department and a police brigade combating anti-social behaviour.

[49] Appéré released her full platform on 7 February 2020, which included commitments to create citizens' panels for urban redevelopment projects and the redefinition of certain municipal policies, build a "Neighbourhood of Creation" for "cultural and creative industries" next to the city's SNCF station and never increase local taxes.

[50][51] On 21 February, she confirmed her candidacy for president of Rennes Métropole and joined 25 other electoral list leaders and 12 incumbent mayors in unveiling a metropolitan platform.

[57] Responding to the results, Appéré praised the "clear, definite and massive choice of Rennais" and welcomed the "large victory with pride and emotion," while also promising to "work to reinforce local democracy" to remedy low voter turnout.

[63] Six months later, she established the "Idées en Commun" discussion platform (originally proposed by Mayor Anne Hidalgo of Paris), to address housing issues.