When it comes to abstention, Édouard Philippe knows a thing or two about it.
Since Matignon, the former prime minister has witnessed the record demobilization recorded in the municipal elections of March and June 2020, in the midst of the Covid-19 epidemic.
A year later, two out of three French people (66.7%) did not take part in the regional elections - unprecedented - without his being surprised.
"Everyone knew that to organize the elections at this time, it would be a disaster,"
said the ex-LR mayor of Le Havre (Seine-Maritime), Sunday evening in
Ouest-France
, from his town hall.
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The electoral calendar was not ideal in his eyes, even though the executive had decided to postpone the poll from March to June in the face of the "second wave" of the epidemic.
"Even I find it hard to blame voters for not being passionate about the departmental and regional"
, admits the defector of the right, who saw Sunday the Macronist candidate he supports in Normandy, Philippe Bonnaterre, narrowly qualify for the second round (11.1%).
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Translation of an indifference or even a rejection of the political system, this demobilization
"is not good news for democracy"
, nor
"for anyone"
, insists Édouard Philippe. The former head of government calls for
"a broader, collective debate on the elections".
Solutions have already been put forward: the leader of La République en Marche (LREM), Stanislas Guerini, proposed Monday to
"set up internet voting in the next five-year term"
. One way, he believes, to simplify operations and encourage the French to mobilize.