Turnout down in second vote

EARLY turnout figures in the second round of local elections in France show a marked drop even on last weekend, when voting hit record low levels.

At 12noon today, just 19.83% of those eligible to vote had done so, according to figures released by the Ministry of the Interior, lower even than in last weekend’s first round, when 23.16% had voted by this time.

In 2008, the second-round turnout at this time was 23.68%. Today's lunchtime turnout figure is the lowest in the second round of voting since 1983.

In some areas, turnout is weaker still. In Seine St-Denis it was just 10,87%, while in Paris, it was 11.3%.

The early turnout figures for this weekend’s second round had been eagerly awaited, as an indication of total turnout, with the main political parties hoping to mobilise voters who had abstained from casting their vote.

Last weekend, a total 38.72% of those eligible chose to stay away from polling stations in last weekend’s first round - a record low for French elections.