Elections in France: for the government the strong abstention constitutes a new “slap in the face of democracy”

Despite numerous calls to vote, the French confirmed their dissatisfaction by being absent in many of the regional elections. The data also repeats another historical record: This is the first time that the increase in turnout between the two electoral rounds has been so small, just 1 point difference.

One winner, abstention. Two losers, the presidential majority and the far-right National Rally. Two resistance fighters, the Republicans and the Socialists. Another piece of data that remains is the numbers for environmentalists. At the end of the second round of regional elections, The political geography is becoming clearer in France, even if the massive abstention also leaves the mystery about the intentions of the French for the presidential election of 2022.

With a record abstention, around 65.7%, those who went to vote renewed the regional map for 2015, which had seven presidents from the right and center and five presidents from the left. The most sanctioned personalities were undoubtedly once again President Emmanuel Macron and the leader of the far right, Marine Le Pen.

The RN, National Rally of Pen, failed to conquer the first region in its history. Renaud Muselier’s republican front managed to overcome a first psychodrama in the first round, and won by far with more than 57% of the vote, according to Ipsos estimates at 8:00 p.m. in France. This setback for Thierry Mariani, the representative of the far right leader, It is a blow to the aspirations of Le Pen, who wanted to gain credibility. And that, without a doubt, will open a period of internal turmoil within the RN as regards its strategy of “demonization”.

For the Elysées Palace, this second round once again marks the weakness of the relay of the Head of State in the country. Emmanuel Macron suffered his third consecutive electoral defeat since the start of the presidential quinquennium. The first estimates of the ballot boxes only credited the majority of 7% of the votes for the whole of metropolitan France.

“A disappointment”, recognized on television Stanislas Guérini, general delegate of La República en Marcha, and Gabriel Attal, government spokesman.

If the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, claimed his victory in the departmental elections in the canton of Tourcoing (North), no candidate of the presidential majority has managed to win a region.

As the Prime Minister, Jean Castex, after the historic absence of the ballot boxes at the first call, Guérini, reflected on a television set: “The abstention in this election was a slap in the face of democracy,” repeated. “We will have to ask questions in depth,” he insisted.

The traditional right is projected in the presidential election

In Hauts-de-France, Xavier Bertrand, who wants to make his victory a springboard for the presidential election, won without question, with 53%, according to Ipsos, despite the retention of the union list on the left. However, this convenient re-election for the mainstream right still does not solve the leadership problem, analysts say.

However, Xavier Bertrand, declared presidential candidate, shortly after reading the data said he was ready to go “to meet all the French” during his speech after his great victory in Hauts-de-France.

“This result gives me the strength to come out to meet all the French”, he confides in his bastion of Saint-Quentin (Aisne), stressing that “to restore our country there is a prerequisite: order recovery and respect “.

Another essential choice, Ile-de-France

Widely reelected at the head of Ile-de-France with between 45.5 and 44.1% of the vote, Valérie Pécresse thanked the voters but wishes to address especially those who abstained.

“I am thinking this evening of all the Ile-de-France residents who abstained. I also think of all those who did not vote for me and salute my opponents in this campaign. I will continue to lead the region as I have for six years. “

The re-elected president also ensures that she will be “the president of all Ile-de-France residents”. “This victory is beautiful. We lowered the RN, the extreme right “added.

The presidential agenda

Despite the failure of the official majority, there should be no change of government. “There will be no reorganization! a source close to the executive assured the French press. “There is no national lesson to be learned from these elections and we are already alongside the French in the two priorities: health and the economy.”

This is not the opinion of 32% of the French, who want Emmanuel Macron “to make a reshuffle” in the coming weeks, according to an Ipsos / Sopra Steria survey for France Télévisions.

Emmanuel Macron wants to turn an immediate page on these results. The head of state wants to embody the economic recovery of the country, carrying a positive message on the exit so that people forget the poor performance of his troops.

As the presidential elections approach, andhe tenant of the Elysées Palace will try to channel the thread of the reforms. Macron will try to control the last ten months of his government, with the idea that this protagonism will project him towards a presidential rehearsal.

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