Many elected officials and observers expected it, it is confirmed: the first round of regional and departmental elections did not attract crowds this Sunday.
The final participation at 8 p.m. is estimated at only 33.9%, according to an estimate by the Ipsos / Sopra Steria institute for France Télévisions, Radio France and LCP.
That is to say an abstention rate of 66.1%, unprecedented for an election in France.
Only the referendum for the five-year term, in 2000, had even less attracted the French to the polls (69.81% abstention).
The highest rates would be reached in the Grand Est (70.8%), in the Pays de la Loire (69.8%), in Center-Val-de-Loire, in Normandy, and in the Hauts-de- France (67% each time).
Conversely, the Corsicans are, by far, those who expressed their voice the most (44.1% abstention).
In December 2015, less than one in two voters (49.91%) in France went to the polls in the first round of regional elections.
Nine months earlier, in March, they were 50.17% compared to the departmental elections.
In both cases, the rate for 2021 (in which the two ballots take place on the same day) is therefore much lower.
The figures announced at noon and then at 5 p.m. already showed such trends.
Multiple possible explanations
This type of local election is usually of little interest to citizens, at least less than municipal and presidential elections.
There are many reasons that may explain why this is particularly the case this year: lack of interest in politics (especially when the health situation has clearly improved), approaching holidays, etc.
To read alsoRegional: why the abstention promises to be massive (once again)?
It remains to be seen what will happen next Sunday, in the second round.
In December 2015, participation had risen sharply at the regional level, going from less than 50 to over 58%.
But it had remained stable from one round to another for the departmental elections in March of the same year, around one in two voters.