As with each of their official visits to Le Touquet, Brigitte and Emmanuel Macron were particularly awaited by onlookers. Many people had made the trip to see the Head of State and his wife, exchange a few words and handshakes, photos for the luckiest. All of this, of course, under the very high security of the presidential couple, accompanied by several bodyguards.
What participation rate?
At noon, the participation stood at 18.43%? a figure down by 0.8 points compared to 2017 when it stood at 19.24%, and by 2.5 points from the legislative elections of 2012 at the same time (21.06%). It is also down sharply compared to the first round of the 2022 presidential election at the same time (25.48%), but much higher than that of the departmental and regional elections of 2021 (12.22%).
The dreaded massive abstention – undoubtedly beyond 50% of the more than 48 million voters – could arbitrate the match by proxy between the freshly re-elected head of state and Jean-luc Mélenchon, third man in the presidential election, now boss of the left, while on the far right, Marine Le Pen’s RN displays measured ambitions. The left-wing Nupes alliance (LFI, PCF, PS and EELV) is neck and neck in the voting intentions with Ensemble!, a macronist coalition of LREM / Renaissance, MoDem and Horizons.
But in the second round on Sunday June 19, the reserves of votes could be lacking for Nupes to seek victory, unless there is a strong mobilization of abstainers from the first round.