The France that does not feel represented by the far-right Marine Le Pen or by the liberal Emmanuel Macron goes to the polls this Sunday divided between supporting the “least evil” of both candidates or expressing its discontent with the blank vote or abstention.
Annie, a 78-year-old former consultant, is one of those who have opted for that blank ballot after a five-year period in which Macron has disappointed her “very much.”
“For me he is a guy run by multinationals. He has no sense of listening and I think he will not change. Everyone says that he is very intelligent, but if he were he would have adapted better », this citizen points out to EFE.
In 2017, he backed the former Economy Minister, who was facing Le Pen for the first time, but this year, after having voted for the leftist Jean-Luc Mélenchon in the first round, he has preferred not to opt for any candidate.
In the X arrondissement of Paris, where it is located, the left won: the leader of France Insumisa obtained 38.45% of the vote, ahead of Macron (31.47%) and the environmentalist Yannick Jadot (10.36). %).
Hèlene, a 69-year-old musician, also gave her trust to Mélenchon on April 10 and in this second round she will give it to Macron, despite the fact that the current head of state “has made many mistakes and is arrogant, which is unbearable.” ».
“But he is someone who goes further and despite everything has the ambition to save Europe. Unfortunately he has not talked about ecology. I hope we get that back in the legislative elections », he comments on what is known as the « third round », which will be held in June.
Many Macron voters will return to their preferred party in these new elections, such as Satria, a 26-year-old cook, who voted for Jadot in the first presidential election and voted for Macron in the second.
«For me the first round is more an ideological vote than a useful vote. In the second I had no choice, I can’t vote for the extreme right. The legislative ones I think are made to return to your own ideas », she maintains.
Juliette, a 26-year-old lawyer, preferred to choose the useful vote from the beginning. She was going to support the socialist Anne Hidalgo, mayor of the capital, but her polls gave her little chance of victory and she was not wrong: she only obtained 1.76% of the votes throughout the country.
“I preferred to vote for the candidate who in my opinion can stand up to the extreme right, that is, Macron. Le Pen is scary, very scary. That is why I hope that people will vote, that they do not vote blank, that they vote for Macron, ”says the young woman.
LOW INVOLVEMENT
At noon, four hours after the opening of the polling stations, the turnout stood at 26.41%, slightly higher than that of the first round at the same time (25.48%), but the lowest figure since that of 2002 (26.19%).
“France is very divided. There are three very large blocks: the extreme right, the center and the left with all its components. We are afraid that in the third round, in the legislative ones, this will turn into popular mobilizations and demonstrations, “stresses Jorge Partida, president of the electoral table of the Pierre Bullet school in the capital.
Annie, a 73-year-old retiree, regrets that there is again a far-right candidate in the second round, as in 2002, with Jean-Marie Le Pen, father of Marine, who faced conservative Jacques Chirac, or in 2017 with Macron and the leader of the National Association.
“The situation is getting worse and worse, but having the right to vote is very important,” he says to justify his participation this Sunday, in which abstention could be key. In 2017 it was 25.4% and in the first round of these elections it reached 26.3%. EFE
Martha Garden
Paris, April 24
