Written by Dolores Mazzola et Sylvie Cozzolino
The French began voting this Sunday morning, 8am, for the first round of highly suspenseful legislative elections. This vote could pave the way for the far right to come to power in a week. In Vaulx-en-Velin, in the 7th constituency of the Rhône, a strong turnout is expected.
Emmanuel Macron caused a political earthquake on June 9, by pronouncing, to everyone’s surprise, the dissolution of the National Assembly, an ultra-risky bet.
In Vaulx-en-Velin, a municipality known to be sensitive in the Lyon suburbs, the participation rate in elections is generally very low, even one of the lowest in the Rhône and the metropolis. This morning, in the polling stations, the turnout was still moderate, even timid.
“The mobilization this morning is very light. People were afraid of the rain. I wanted a queue, at least up to the door. We hope that things will move this afternoon. We have to get moving, it’s necessary, it’s our duty as citizens if we want France to be beautiful! “, says a resident of Vaux-en-Velin.
“We have to come and vote, it’s our duty”, a resident of Vaulx-en-Velin leaving her polling station – 6/30/24
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© France tv
Will the voters turn out? Those who went to the polling stations were torn between hope and worry.
We vote in Vaulx-en-Velin for this 1st round of the early legislative elections of 2024
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© France tv
“I always vote, it’s a duty. This time it’s even more important. You have to make your voice heard,” declared this Sunday morning, a voter from Vaulx-en-Velin, who came to place her ballot in the ballot box. “There is a lot of fear that the extremes will pass, what is happening is serious, this violence. I am afraid“, she adds. Regarding participation, she is hopeful: “apparently, it will mobilize.”
“I’m afraid of this violence.” Residents of the Lyon metropolis worried about this first round of voting. In Vaulx-en-Velin, it is time to mobilize to go to the polls.
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© France tv
“This election is different from the others, in terms of what’s at stake. What’s at stake is very important. I think it’s a choice for society. Today, more than in previous elections, it’s really very important to go and vote,” explains a father who came with his family to his polling station this Sunday morning. “We tried to mobilize those around us who are used to voting in general. But here, the future of our generation and our children is at stake. It’s important.” adds the young mother.
We are voting in Vaulx-en-Velin for the first round of the 2024 legislative elections. This young couple from Vaud, who are used to voting, went to the polls this Sunday morning.
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© France tv
“I hope the country will mobilize. Come what may, but I hope people will have thought carefully,” indicates another citizen as she leaves her polling station.
“Voting is a right that we have acquired, we must use it”, a citizen of Vaulx-en-Velin – 6/30/24
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© France tv
Vaulx-en-Velin is in the 7th constituency of Rhône. It extends from the north of the Metropolis (Rillieux-la-Pape, Sathonay Camp and Sathonay Village) to the first communes in the East (Vaulx-en-Velin and Bron).
The outgoing MP is Abdelkader Lahmar, elected MP under the LFI label in 2022. The outgoing elected official is a candidate for re-election under the LFI / Nouveau Front Populaire label and must face five other candidates: Alexandre Vincendet (Horizons), Cédric Pignal (RN), Thomas Spreux (Lutte ouvrière), Myriam Fontaine (LR) and Régine Benon (Reconquête). In this constituency, in the European elections, on June 9, the LFI party came out on top with 27.1% of the votes cast, followed by the RN ( 21.9%). Three weeks ago, during the European elections, the left bloc obtained 46% of the votes.
