The strategic vote does not have a good reputation, especially for candidates who fall victim to it. It can also generate a form of democratic frustration among voters.
However, many of us will be forced to vote strategically in the first round next April.
The combined effects of the electoral rules of the Fifth Republic and the almost certain presence of the far right in the second round mean that republican democrats, who refuse the National Front, will, in large numbers, vote strategically in the first round so that the challenger to Madame Le Pen aligns as closely as possible with their values.
The other motivation for strategic voting is to vote for the one who has the best chance of defeating the one who will probably lead in the first round.
Thus, in the current state of public opinion, this means voting for Macron or Fillon in the first round regardless of your initial choice.
Of course, the election is still far off (not that far, really…), and the beneficiaries of the strategic vote may change. But in any case, the inevitability of the strategic vote will remain.
by Patrick Mottard
