Legislative elections in France: the virtual tie between the ruling party and the opposition, in an election marked by abstention

The 53 percent abstention was the real winner of the first round of this Sunday’s French legislative elections. But it has an advantage over Nupes, The left alliance of Jean Luc Mélenchonin the projections of the urns.

This is not enough to appoint Mélenchon as prime minister, as he intended, but the final count is awaited. I’m side by side with Ensemble, Emmanuel Macron’s coalition party, which got 25.80 percent. But so far the president has not achieved an absolute majority.

The exits give 26.80 per cent for Nupes. Emmanuel Macron’s Ensemble obtained 25.80%, the National Rally 19.10%, the Republican conservatives 11.10% and the others 5.90%.

The elections turned into a battle for the majority between the Ensemble and the presidential party ambitions to be prime minister by Jean Luc Mélenchon, who managed to bring together the Unsubmissive of his party, socialists, environmentalists, communists and anti-capitalists in Nupes, who are competing for the seat.

The populist leader converted him in the elections in a third presidential round and Marine Le Pen finished third. Macron needs 289 of the 577 seats in the National Assembly to gain an absolute majority and not have to negotiate his reforms. Not sure I have it until now.

sad choice

Some elections without spirit, with people who do not want to vote and without an election campaign. The ballot will take place on June 19 and it is likely that there will be greater participation. The first round was weak and reluctant, with candidates coming out late to win the vote.

Fifteen figures of the “macronia” risked their positions as ministers in these elections. These include the Prime Minister, Elizabeth Borne, for the Calvados constituency and Clement Beaune, delegate minister for Europe, in the Paris 7 constituency.

The risk for Macron is that of losing the absolute majority and obtain a relative majority. It is an absolute majority with 289 of the 577 seats in the National Assembly. Otherwise, it will force it to negotiate permanently with other parliamentary groups for the approval of its legal texts.

If NUPES, the alliance organized by Jean Luc Mélenchon, obtains an absolute majority, Macron will be deprived of all powers. It will not be he who determines the policy of the Nation, but the Prime Minister and the majority of the Assembly will decide it.

A sunny day with 26 degrees was an incentive why people decide not to vote and go have funafter a long winter with COVID.

Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne voted in Calvados, her constituency, and arrived at the Elysée to follow the results of the first round.

The departments where the fewest voters went to the polls this Sunday are Seine-Saint-Denis. In this department of the Paris region, the participation rate was only 27.72%. It rose to 32.04% in Val d’Oise and 32.41% in Moselle. In all these areas there are social conflicts, ethnic tensions and unemployment.

Lot, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Haute-Vienne are the departments where voters traveled the most to vote for the first round of legislative elections this Sunday. In the Lotto the participation rate reached 52.37%; while it rises to 50.42% in the Pyrenees Atlantiques and to 48.81% in the Upper Vienne.

how to vote

It was a more complex voting system than the presidential election. The deputies are elected by a single-member majority in two shifts per constituency: there are 577 in total, in mainland France, abroad and abroad. These are the rules: a candidate is elected in the first round if you receive more than 50% of the votes cast. And a number of votes equal to at least 25% of the number of voters registered in their constituency.

A candidate qualifies for the second round if he is between the two people who finished first. Or if you get at least a number of votes equal to 12.5% the number of voters registered in their constituency.

The abstention rate could have a strong impact on the outcome of the vote. The higher it is, the less likely you are to see candidates elected in the first round.

PB