Judging by the queue of half a dozen people in front of the polling station of the school on rue des Archives (IVe) this Sunday at noon, the coronavirus does not affect the citizenship of voters in Paris center.
At 11.15 a.m., participation was 14.59% in the fourth, 13.78% in the third, 12.83% in the second and 11.18% in the first. History-geo teacher, Isabelle, 56, says, brandishing the pen she brought, in accordance with the recommendations of the public authorities: “I am not afraid at all. The ballot is maintained, so I vote. ”
"Do they want the country to die"
In a neighboring polling station, rue de Moussy (IVe) where all the assessors wear masks, Viviane, retired business owner, does not hide his anger: “Each year, 10,000 elderly people die from the flu and nobody 'speaks! Of course you have to wash your hands, it's common sense. But closing businesses is catastrophic. Do politicians want the country to die? ”
An engineering school student ready to follow her distance courses, Theodora, 21, says: "Voting is important, the future is at stake". And is surprised at the measures announced on Saturday evening by the Prime Minister: “There have always been epidemics. But this is not the second world war! I regret that we are more concerned with the coronavirus than with global warming, which is far more serious in my opinion ”.
57-year-old veterinarian, Nicolas, who waits in the small queue in front of the ballot box while respecting the marking on the ground to stand a meter away from his neighbors, says: "I am not afraid of the epidemic and I do my electoral duty. As for the closure of shops, it seems to me to be justified from a health point of view ”.
Volunteers for the counting
In the rue Vauvenargues, at the foot of the Butte Montmartre (18th century), the polling station is also far from being deserted. “Since 8 am this morning, there have been people like in the previous elections. There was even a line at 9:30 am, ”observes Ruddy, guardian of the school that welcomes voters.
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Juliette, 32, and her partner, Olivier, 38, go home after putting their ballot in the ballot box. "The elections having been maintained, we decided to go to vote," explains this consultant who has been living in her house for a week already. “One of my friends lives in Florence and advised me to telecommute. I listened to it ”.
Olivier, head chef, on sick leave for three months also calls himself "in forced confinement". But, this couple agreed to participate in the count this evening.
"We had to postpone the elections"
Although visibly hostile to the government, a couple of quadra who leave the same office nevertheless approves the decision to maintain the municipal elections. "But don't tell us next week that the second round has been postponed," warns one of them.
Odette, a licensed nanny, says she was hesitant to vote. "We are closing shops, restaurants and cafes ... and we are maintaining the elections!" The government should have shown courage and postpone them, ”said the nanny who is preparing next week to babysit additional children to help parents forced to go to work.
In the polling station, all the assessors wear a mask. Some are joking. But psychosis is present. “This morning, a Parisian took an envelope and put it down after realizing that she had made the wrong polling station. The assessors tried to remove the envelope with the tip of their pen. One of them ended up taking her by the hand and throwing it away quickly after learning that she had been hit. The assessors are visibly feverish but courageous, ”says a resident of the neighborhood.
At noon, the participation rate of 12.61% recorded across Paris did not show a collapse compared to that of previous municipal elections at the same time (13.73%). Observers expected more “talking” numbers in the middle of the afternoon, in a city where voters are traditionally more numerous at the end of the day.