A very contrasting turnout at the polls overseas. The participation rate in the first round of the presidential election fell sharply in several territories, including New Caledonia and Polynesia, which voted in advance. However, it is slightly increasing in Guadeloupe and Martinique.
Voting began on Saturday in the French West Indies, Guyana, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon and French Polynesia. It has also been completed in New Caledonia, which is 10 hours ahead of France. The highest abstention rates are found in the Pacific: in French Polynesia, only 23.78% of voters had moved to 5 p.m., according to the estimate of the High Commission. They were 43.97% to have moved in 2017 at the same time.
In New Caledonia, the turnout at 5 p.m., two hours before the closing of the polls, was 33.04% against 41.80% five years earlier. In Wallis and Futuna, it was 44.92% at 5 p.m., compared to 49.15% in 2017.
Mobilization of voters in the West Indies
In Guadeloupe, on the other hand, the turnout at 5 p.m. on Saturday reached 37.08%, compared to 34.17% during the 2017 presidential election, at the same time. This rate was also up slightly in Martinique with 35.1% participation at 5 p.m., compared to 34.82% in 2017.
In Reunion, an island in the Indian Ocean which started voting two hours before France, the turnout was 20.65% at 12 p.m., compared to 18.94% in 2017.
In Mayotte also the participation rate was up slightly at 12 p.m., to 16.98% against 14.66% in 2017 at midday.
Discover the 2022 presidential election results from 8 p.m. by city, department and region on 20 Minutes.