Will the people of Nice and the Alps-Maritime residents go to vote on Sunday? That is THE question that plagues the candidates in this unparalleled second round of the municipal elections.
Already in the first round, amid the surging coronavirus epidemic, as the closure of schools, bars, and restaurants had just been decided, voters — particularly the older ones who usually make up the bulk of those who mobilize — shunned the polling stations for elections that, ordinarily, fascinate the French.
This Sunday, unfortunately, voter abstention is likely to be present once again. The fear of the coronavirus is still here, and moreover, this period between the two rounds, the longest in the history of the municipal elections, has taken place in a very strange atmosphere.
No traditional leaflet distribution, no meetings, no handshakes at the markets… It was impossible to campaign and, therefore, to engage citizens with the issues.
If abstention prevails once more, not only could it have a direct impact on the results, especially in close contests (who would have the absent voters supported?), but it would also harm the proper functioning of our democracy and the legitimacy of future mayors.
So, even if the enthusiasm isn’t really there: to the polls, citizens!
