Polling institutes predict strong abstention in the European elections. Here is a simple reason.
Why have many French people not planned to go to the polls on June 9? While voters are called upon to renew the composition of the European Parliament, the vote leaves many of them indifferent. And for good reason: the role and functioning of this institution of the European Union remains largely unknown. Thus, one in two French people are unaware that the European Parliament has the power to pass laws.
Many French people actually confuse the European Parliament with other European institutions, according to the ViaVoice barometer for Radio France published Monday May 6. Thus, only 50% know that the European Parliament is made up of deputies, the same deputies who will be elected on June 9. Among young voters (aged 18 to 24), this knowledge even drops to 32%. Conversely, 16% of French people think that the Parliament is made up of the leaders of the member states, whereas this is the case of the European Council. 8% think that it is made up of members of the governments of the member states, which is the case of the Council of the European Union.
Beyond its functioning, current events in the European Parliament are even more widely unknown: eight out of ten respondents admit to not knowing what is going on there. Only 21% are able to cite a measure voted for by MEPs in the last five years. It is therefore difficult for them to take stock of the legislature which is ending.
It is not surprising, given these figures, that 48% of French people surveyed say they are not interested in the European elections on June 9. A barely larger share (49%) claims a real interest in the vote. Interest is a little more keen among those over 65 (60%). Conversely, the most indifferent age group is that of 35-49 year olds, 57% of whom admit their disinterest in these elections.