On CNews: “The low participation rate in the European elections is not an anomaly”

Invited to appear on Cnews’ “Les Voix de l’Info” on April 11, 2019, Yves Bertoncini insisted on putting the often low turnout for European elections into context by comparing it with those for federal elections in Switzerland or the United States: “There is a power deficit, therefore a lack of participation, it is not an anomaly”. Although the President of the European Movement – France would have preferred more people to vote, he predicted a participation rate of 40-50%.

Yves Bertoncini deplores the fact that, six weeks before the European elections, the programmes of several parties and their lists of candidates – which are nevertheless eagerly awaited by the French – are still missing. “When we have finished with the Great National Debate, perhaps we can start the small European debate”.

He also comments on the predictions of the polls that put La République en marche and the Rassemblement national in the lead. “What is happening in France, the race between the extreme right and the Liberals, is very atypical. And besides, the final result at European level is not this one either – it is the aggregation of the 27 (or 28) results”. According to him, the European People’s Party (similar to Les Républicains) will come in front, followed by the Social Democrats (similar to the Parti socialiste). “What is more worrying for our country in Europe is the fact that France is the only large country where we do not even know if the political forces that govern it will be in the lead”.