Coronavirus causes French voters to stay away from local elections
French voters stayed away from polling stations on Sunday with early indications that fewer than half the electorate turned out for municipal elections after the country went into partial lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus.
As the voting booths closed, it was estimated that the rate of abstention may have reached up to 56% in ballots to elect local mayors and councillors – traditionally more popular that national representatives.
Election observers described the abstention rate as historic, while accepting the exceptional circumstances of the vote. Figures announced after the polling stations closed were that 120 people had died from the coronavirus in France, a rise of 29 in 24 hours. There are 5,400 confirmed cases in the country.
Around 47 million people were called to vote in the first round of the election; the low turnout raised questions about whether the second round would – or could – take place next Sunday. The government is expected to make a decision on Tuesday.
Anne Hidalgo, the socialist mayor of Paris since 2014, won the first round of municipal elections on Sunday, polling just over 30% of the votes – well ahead of her closest rival, Rachida Dati, from the mainstream rightwing Les Républicains. The government-backed candidate, Agnès Buzyn, from the president’s centrist LREM party, came in third. All three go through to the second round, along with the Europe Ecology-Greens candidate.
Polling stations opened at 8am on Sunday and within hours it was clear participation would be low.
Hours earlier, the prime minister, Édouard Philippe, announced the closure of all non-essential shops and businesses, including museums, restaurants and cinemas until 15 April. The official decree authorising the shutdown was published on Sunday. It also covered conference and meeting rooms, shopping centres, libraries and archives, dance halls and discos, exhibitions and sports halls. Bars and restaurants can continue offering a takeaway or delivery service.
France’s centrist government has also banned gatherings of more than 100 people, while advising all citizens to keep a distance of 1 metre between them.
Parisians have been accused of being irresponsible after numerous videos and photographs appeared of groups sitting around in close clusters at popular areas of the capital, including the Canal Saint-Martin and Place de la République north of the city and public gardens, such as the Jardins de Luxembourg.
“It’s not reasonable,” Dr Alain Ducardonnet, a cardiologist, told French TV channel BFMTV. “But we have difficulty changing our behaviour. Normally the constraints on us are relatively limited and in 48 hours we have to change … but it’s the only way to limit the spread of the virus.”
Jérôme Salomon, head of France’s national health authority, Santé Publique France, had already sounded an alarm over the number of young people with coronavirus being treated in intensive care.
“If you talk to hospital doctors and intensive care staff, they are shocked by the influx of seriously ill patients, especially the young,” Salomon said.
He added: “We are heading towards a general epidemic in the very next few days, but everything depends on the behaviour of the virus and above all people’s respect for barrier measures. Until now there hasn’t been enough awareness among the French of their role faced with the virus.”
Transport ministers announced that public transport services, local and intercity, will be dramatically reduced as the week progresses.
France has announced it will also be tightening controls on its border with Germany as of Monday. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, and the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, agreed to limit crossings between the two countries after talks at the weekend.
“We will limit the crossings to those that are strictly necessary allowing those living either side of the border and goods vehicles to cross,” a French official told AFP.
On Sunday, French economy minister Bruno Le Maire said the country was not planning to introduce any kind of rationing on food and household products, but asked that people behave with restraint.
“There will be no shortages in terms of what products people can buy; there’s no problem of supplies, so there will be no rationing,” Le Maire said.
“But we are calling on French people to behave responsibly. We are counting on them not to rush to the shelves and panic buy. Go about your shopping as usual … buy what you need for you and your family and children, but behave as you would normally.”
The country’s education ministry announced the cancellation of national exams and professional entrance exams for at least three weeks. “Solutions will be found case by case … specific and personalised information will be sent to each candidate”, the ministry said in a statement.
The government has said essential public services will be maintained, including street cleaning, rubbish collection, and certain public offices, but courts and tribunals are to close “except those dealing with essential issues”.
Olivier Véran, the health minister, said pharmacies were authorised to supply French patients needing longterm medication, with enough to last until 31 May.