The health crisis is disrupting the democratic process. This Sunday, as was to be feared, the coronavirus had a very strong impact on the first round of municipal elections in France. At 8 p.m. when the polling stations closed, some 56% of registered voters had not gone to the polls, according to initial estimates. This is a drastic increase in abstention compared to 2014, where 36.45% of the electorate had shunned the ballot boxes. Which, already at the time, was a record.
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At the end of the afternoon this Sunday, at 5 p.m., the abstention was already gauged massive by the Ministry of the Interior. Only 38.77% of the voters then went to their polling station, according to figures communicated by Beauvau, a drop of 16 points compared to 2014 at the same time (54.54%).
"Important to vote in these moments", according to Macron
Worried about the progression of the epidemic in the country, many French people therefore seem to have preferred to avoid participating in this local election, which traditionally mobilizes many voters. Saturday evening, despite the country's entry into "phase 3" - which led to the closure of "non-essential" businesses - Prime Minister Édouard Philippe confirmed that the election would be maintained in some 34,967 municipalities. In the process, a large part of the opposition - including six regional presidents - had asked for the postponement.
From Le Touquet (Pas-de-Calais), where he voted at the end of the morning on Sunday, Emmanuel Macron decided to assume this decision, on which he has however hesitated for a long time in recent days. " It is important to vote at these times ", he encouraged, relying on the advice of the "scientific committee" . The Head of State however asked to "respect the usual precautions" . A statement that many citizens did not obey this weekend.