Did the French heed the calls from all parties to mobilize more than last Sunday?
Not really.
The final abstention would amount to 65.5% this Sunday in the second round of regional and departmental elections, according to a first estimate from Ipsos / Sopra Steria for France Télévisions, Radio France and La Chaîne parliamentary.
Other estimates (Elabe, Harris Interactive, etc.) give a similar figure.
This rate is very slightly lower than the record level of 66.72% reached in the first round last Sunday, but it is much higher than in previous regional elections.
The abstention had reached "only" 41.59% in the second round in 2015, 48.79% in 2010, and 34.34% in 2004. Previously, these elections took place in only one round.
Read alsoRecord abstention from regional: who really benefited?
The rate reached last Sunday had strongly moved the political class, from all sides.
"The level of abstention is particularly worrying", had reacted the Minister of the Interior Gerald Darmanin, while the spokesman of the government Gabriel Attal had qualified this rate of "abysmal".
