In 1983, Manin joined the Martinican Communist Party and became a militant under Georges Gratiant. She began her political career the same year, being elected as a municipal councilor in Le Lamentin. When she was reelected in 1995, she joined Pierre-Jean Samot, then the mayor of Le Lamentin, in the Lamentin Horizon 2001 - développement, solidarité, justice project. Three years later, she left the Communist Party and joined Samot's Build the Martinique Country party. In 2001, Manin was elected councilor general in Le Lamentin 3rd Canton Est and assistant mayor of the city.[4]
Presidency of the general council
In March 2011, Manin was selected to be the President of the General Council candidate for the Ensemble, pour une Martinique nouvelle bloc, composed of the Build the Martinique Country party, Martinican Progressive Party, Franciscan People's Movement, Socialist Federation of Martinique, and theVivre à Schoelcher movement. In the third round of the election process, Manin narrowly defeated Alfred Sinosa, becoming the first female President of the General Council in Martinique, and the second in the Caribbean, to hold the position. She also became the last President, as the French government, in December 2015,[4] merged the regional and general councils for the island into one assembly with the formation of the territorial collective of Martinique.[5]
Manin has spoken in the National Assembly about the plight of West Indies Amerindians poisoned by kepone and criticized the French government for cutting jobs in education on Martinique.[7][8]