The French GE ... voting starts Sunday. ??

Turnout about 75%.

It’s looking good for Macron, happy to hear that.

Today

I think Macron will win. Maybe it’s for the best?

Proxy voting (procuration) is allowed, but very strictly x- unlike in the UK.

Perhaps we could learn a thing or two over here?

A predictable result

mokryna I was talking to my s -i-l yesterday, he being French thought that people on the first round, vote for who they would like to win even if it is a lost vote and on the second round the better of the remaining two.

Yes, this. It always seems that the first round allows 'protest votes' but then the in the second round, well that's serious.

I feel sorry for French voters - having to choose between Macron and Le Pen! Never been impressed by Macron but wouldn't wish Le Pen on anyone

France is split into three zones regarding schools.
French people like to leave as soon as the school holidays start, to go back to the family home and come back at the last moment.

Thé 2nd vote falls in spring school holidays.

Besancon, Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Dijon, Grenoble, Limoges, Lyon, and Poitiers are in Zone A. The vote is on the last day of the holiday. Will they come home in time to vote?

Aix-Marseille, Amiens, Caen, Lille, Nancy-Metz, Nantes, Nice, Orleans-Tours, Reins, Rennes, Rouen, and Strasbourg are in Zone B. The vote will fall in the middle of the two weeks.

Creteil, Montpellier, Paris, Toulouse, and Versailles are in Zone C. Holidays start on the 22nd. Will people put off their holiday for a day?

The percentages shown now are for exit polls perhaps some are frightened to say they voted for Le Pen. I always remember my Mum when I was little she voted Conservative but gave her card to Labour chap on the way out.

The results are almost all in.
With 97% of results counted, Emmanuel Macron had 27.6% of the vote, Marine Le Pen 23.41% and Jean-Luc Mélenchon 21.95%.
From the BBC News website.

No they are not all exit polls Maudi. Everyone votes in their local Mairie, smaller towns and villages are counted and declared by 8pm. (Both my former and current village voted Macron and one had 91% turnout ?). Then there is a complex system of counting representative cities and large towns to give the big picture. It is normally very accurate and with a tiny percentage of the actual vote. Mélanchon is within a couple of per cent of Le Pen, but he knows he won't overtake her for the run off.

Looks like it will be Macron v Le Pen then in the second vote.

I thought UK style exit polls were forbidden in France, but the law may have changed? I have never seen any.
Actually my experience is that people are far more likely to say they will vote for Le Pen or Mélanchon and deny voting for Macron and the status quo. ?

Thank for taking the time to explain the system there mokryna it’s very interesting to know the back story. Macron will no doubt go full-on this next fortnight campaigning as he will be wondering whether he or Le Pen will pick up the floating votes!

The vacances scolaires stuff is a factor I think mokryna. The Paris zone could be interesting for the Macron vote. Let's hope they have done their proxies.

As usual don't believe everything you read in the press. The last week Marie Le Pen (who I admire but would not vote for
because gentler politics are needed re immigration) has seen
Mme Le Pen pushed forward in the English press.

I feel sorry for French voters - having to choose between Macron and Le Pen!

The French voters had 12 candidates to choose from and Macron and Le Pen were the 2 most popular.

I was not asked who I voted for when I left the polling station. Incase you are interested here is my town’s results.

The UK has a number of French polling stations for French citizens, I wonder how the ex pats voted ?

I suppose if they’re eligible to vote they’re not ‘ex-pats’ but residents now, paying their taxes there and in the health system etc.

Apologies vegansrock I misunderstood - read your post too quickly.

Macron from what I have read vegansrock. The French keep their vote for life and the Embassies make it easy for them (except China this time because of quarantine).

I misunderstood the post, as well.
They'll need those French polling stations with London being the 5th biggest 'French city' in order of the numbers of French inhabitants - although of course in England. So many French live and/or work there - or they did before Brexit. Hope everyone who has the vote, uses it.

What a horrible word, 'ex-pat'.......shades of the British Raj.
If you're working for your Government in another country, fair enough, otherwise if you live full time in a foreign country, you're an immigrant. We British don't hold back using that word for other nationalities. Living full-time in France makes me an immigrant. I am resident here, speak the language, own my home, pay taxes, employ French trades where necessary, part of the Health system etc.,
But, to be allowed to vote in the national elections, it's necessary to actually be French!
So unless we apply for French nationality, no vote. And since Brexit, I can no longer vote in the local elections for our Mayor.

I may be voteless, but I'm concerned and I'm keeping everything crossed that the French, who traditionally never like the President they vote for, will not vote for Le Pen and her idiotic manifesto which includes, as always, plenty of unrealistic, far far Right 'promises', and a massive dollop of racism, not to mention her fondness for Putin! France will be a very sad place if she becomes President.

Yes same here with no vote in France because I remain English and no vote in England because I live in France.