50% abstention. I am among those who generally believe that representative democracy requires commitment, candidates, and voters, and that those who abstain earn the right to remain silent during the term. But tonight, the enormity of the figure inevitably raises questions.
There is certainly the idea that the calendar reversal initiated by Lionel Jospin would naturally lead to a strong majority for the elected President, as benefited successively Chirac, Sarkozy, and Hollande since the introduction of the five-year term.
However, this argument is probably insufficient given the decline in voter turnout. This suggests that the new president will need to propose institutional changes such as aligning the presidential elections with the legislative ones or changing the electoral system (for my part, I would be in favor of a single-round majoritarian system like in England).
That said, it must be noted that this figure confirms that the support for President Macron is more of a “wait and see” commitment, similar to trying out a card game. It is not (yet?) a commitment based on substance.
32% for LREM. A historic victory (especially in seats, next Sunday) for a new party claiming affiliation to a political family—the center—that has never been in power under the Fifth Republic. The president will therefore have considerable means to implement his policy, which is good news for democracy. However, a large majority is not a guarantee of success at the end of the five-year term: Sarkozy and Hollande can attest to that.
Moreover, the first speakers from La République en Marche on television panels seemed to be aware that this election is just a (brilliant) first step.
by Patrick Mottard
