- Emmanuel Macron was also victorious in the Basque Country, with 76.52% of the votes. Abstention, invalid votes and white votes are also widely present in the previous elections, and more specifically, much higher than in 2002, when Le Pen was first placed in the second round.
As in France, Emmanuel Macron of the far-right Marine Le Ṇa En Marche movement has also triumphed in the Northern Basque Country. However, the difference was more pronounced: Macron and Le Pen obtained 76.52% of the votes 23.48%. If we compare the results of Lapurdi, Lower Navarre and Lapurdi with those of France, what appeared in the first round has also been confirmed in the second round: a broader support was obtained on April 23 by Macron (23.9% in France, 25.06% in the Basque Country) and the supporters of Le Pen were less strong (21.7% in France, 13.5% in the Basque Country).
The value of blank and invalid votes
Another element to be mentioned is that of abstention, invalid ballot paper and blank ballot. The percentage of those who have not taken the step to vote has been higher than in the first round and the number of blank and invalid votes has also been rapidly increased. In the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, which includes the Basque Country, 21.96% abstained, meaning that 110,333 voters did not vote. Of those who left, 10.55% did not vote for either of them, that is, 52,996 voters. If with the abstentionists it is not clear to what extent the disinterest and/or political choice is present, with the blank and/or null votes the political disagreement with the candidates of the second round appears clearly. The message “neither” has been heard in the North Basque Country as well. For example, in the first round, Jean-Luc Mélenchon of the far left emerged as the first force in the city of Maule, with a 24.14% abstention and an 11.44% share of blank and invalid votes. In other words, one third of the electorate has not expressed support for either of them. In addition, we are reminded that the candidate Jean Lassalle, who has a large number of supporters in the North Basque Country, called to vote for you in the second round.
New Supporters of Le Pen
The part of those who did not vote for Le Pen in the first round, but who preferred it during this period is also significant. Although the first force has not come out anywhere, the number of votes cast in its favor has increased significantly, both in cities and villages. Although they do not prioritize the xenophobic party by choice, there are people in the Northern Basque Country who are willing to help bring the extreme right to power. In Bayonne, he has obtained 4,668 votes, 1600 more than in the first round; in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, 1,636 votes, 675 more than in the previous round; in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, he has passed from 83 to 147 votes; in Aldud from 18 to 49; in Ahatsa from 11 to 25; in Athar from 29 to 61... The right-wing extremist goes from election to election and takes another step in this second round of the French presidency.
With the election of the French Presidency, the representatives of the political parties are now in the run-up to the parliamentary votes to be held in June.