Voter turnout set to hit record low

Forecast suggests that 38.5% of electorate will have abstained from France’s local elections when voting closes at 8pm

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VOTER turnout in the second round of France’s local elections is set to hit a record low, according to the latest figures.

Turnout at 5pm was 52.36% according to figures from the Ministry of Interior. It is the lowest turnout ever recorded at 5pm on election day, with polling stations set to close between 6pm and 8pm across the country.

At noon today, turnout was 19.83%.

In Paris, however, the turnout at 5pm was slightly higher than at the same time in 2008 - 38.5%, against 38.1% six years ago. But it was still down on last Sunday’s first round, when 39.5% of voters had made their choice.

The total level of abstention when all polling stations close is forecast to be 38.5%, according to a CSA poll for BFM TV and Ricoh. If that figure is confirmed, it will be a new low for the Fifth Republic.

In 2008, the abstention rate was 34.9%. In last Sunday’s first round of the 2014 local elections, turnout was 63.66%. Turnout in the second round in 2008, was 65.1%.

This year, second-round voting has been taking place in 6,455 municipalities across France.

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