French citizens living abroad can vote online for the first round in the legislative elections starting Friday, May 27, at 12 p.m. Paris time and continuing through Wednesday.
These voters can vote in four ways: by proxy, online, mail, and at the poll box. Only French citizens living abroad are allowed to vote online. This is not permitted for legislative or consular elections.
There are 11 constituencies that cover the globe and as many deputies to represent French citizens living abroad since 2012. Internet voting was not implemented in 2017, but it was used for last year’s legislative elections. In light of the suspicions surrounding the 2016 American election, which saw the victory of Donald Trump, it was about preventing cyberattacks.
This year, there are close to 150 candidates running in these 11 constituencies. However, not all have filed a petition of faith or a ballot. The ex-LREM deputy M’jid El Gurrab was recently sentenced to an attack and has since given up running. He supports Elisabeth Moreno as a former minister, who was invested by the majority of voters in the French of Maghreb or West Africa constituency. He said that it was too late to withdraw and that there would be no ballot in his name.
The first round of voting will be held in French Polynesia on June 4th. This applies to French citizens living abroad, as well as those who vote at American consulates and embassies. It will be the turn for French citizens living in other countries. On June 11, the first round will take place in Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique, Saint-Barthelemy, Saint-Martin and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon. On June 12, the first round will take place in Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique, Saint-Barthelemy, Saint-Martin and Reunion. A second round will be held a week later.
