The rain has stopped but the sky remains desperately grey. On this Sunday morning in Dettwiller, a town of 2,600 inhabitants located about forty kilometers west of Strasbourg (Alsace), the general mood matches the color of the clouds. On the place of the primary school, the small flea market attracts a limited crowd and unenthusiastic voters at the dawn of the second round of the presidential election.
“It’s dead here,” breathes Daniel, a 75-year-old Dettwillerois. Suffice to say that he has seen presidents pass by. He sighs again: “I went to vote, but without any motivation. Out of duty, but not out of conviction. »
“A default choice”
In this town which placed Marine Le Pen in the lead in the first round with 32% of votes, against 27% for Emmanuel Macron, the pensioner had given his vote to Nicolas Dupont-Aignan. Today, he has “made a default choice”: “Politics interests me enormously, but it is always the same broken promises. Anyway, they don’t work for the people. »
Coming from Moselle with his daughter Marie-Laure for the garage sales, Albert went to the polling station in his village at dawn: “I forced myself to go and vote for safety, I don’t need to say for whom (smile). “His daughter is still undecided: “I would like a change, but the risks are enormous compared to the other candidate…”
“More enthusiastic for Racing than for the presidential election”
Others are sure of their choice, like Etienne, who did his civic duty as soon as the office in his village opened: “I didn’t hesitate when putting out the ballot. “Before expressing his incomprehension in the face of people who tell him to vote blank:” For me, it is as if they did not vote. »
The 49-year-old truck driver clearly assumes the Macron choice: “The five-year term was very complicated, between the “yellow vests”, the Covid, the war… He deserves to be left for another five years. “Even if he readily concedes “to be more enthusiastic for the Racing Club de Strasbourg”, which is playing this afternoon in Lille, “than for the presidential election”.
“Once in the voting booth, I no longer had any doubts”
In the polling station of the nursery school, one of three in the town, the Dettwillerois arrive drop by drop, again without too much enthusiasm. “We’re inviting the family today, so the elections are important, but we’re more in the kitchen than anything else,” says François just after his vote.
However, among those questioned, none said they had slipped a blank or invalid ballot into the ballot box. “I voted white five years ago, but this year I chose someone. Once in the voting booth, I no longer had any doubts,” says Éléonore.
Around 10 am, they are 130 out of 920 to have gone to the polling station of the nursery school. “About 15% of registrants”, notes the president of the office Marc Vogel. “At 10 o’clock, it’s a little lower than usual. As for the general atmosphere, one of the assessors burst out laughing: “They sure don’t spin the napkins! » Instant response from a voter: « That will depend on the result! »
Discover the results of the second round of the 2022 presidential election from 8 p.m. by city, department and region on 20 Minutes.