Low Voter Turnout in French Overseas Department
In the French overseas territory of New Caledonia, where voting began earlier due to the time difference, voter turnout was only around 9 percent by midday. While the majority of French citizens across the country are heading to the polls on this Sunday, June 9, a small percentage of French overseas territories have already cast their votes due to the time difference, such as Guyana, Martinique, and Guadeloupe. In all these regions, voter turnout is barely above 10 percent, far from the 50 percent voter turnout that France achieved in the last European elections in 2019. By 5 pm, when the polling stations closed, voter turnout in Guyana was at 10.8 percent, 0.6 percentage points higher than the last election, an exception compared to all other areas where it has decreased. In Guadeloupe, voter turnout at the closure of the polling stations was at 10.87 percent, and in Martinique, which recorded the lowest numbers, it was at 7.95 percent. An exception is Saint-Pierre et Miquelon, where voter turnout was at 18.85 percent. Although this number is higher than in the other areas, the island saw a 6 percent decrease compared to 2019. The last polling stations to open before those on the French mainland are located in New Caledonia, a region that has experienced significant instability in recent months. After the French government in Paris passed a law amending the constitution, which includes changes to the voter lists in New Caledonia, tensions have arisen in the region. The 222,831 voters called to the polls on the island are asked to adhere to the current travel restrictions. A curfew is in place until June 17, moving the closing time of the polls to 5:00 pm local time. The latest midday data on voter turnout in the region shows a participation rate of 8.81 percent, just under 9 percent.