Thousands Of French Expats In Montreal Wait Hours To Cast Vote For Next President

Voters in France go to the polls on Sunday. But for citizens abroad, Saturday was their chance to vote. In Montreal, voters waited in a slow queue that more than once wrapped around the Palais des Congrès in the city center. Some waited almost three hours to vote. “We know the line is big [but it’s moving well]”Everyone is looking forward to voting, we are doing our best,” the French consulate in Montreal tweeted earlier in the afternoon. Ballot boxes in Canada for the French elections are open from 8 am to 7 pm ET. pic.twitter.com/n3mXjAIoXW – @ FranceaMontreal
Montreal has the largest community of French expatriates outside Europe. About 67,132 voters are registered to vote here – about 10,000 more than in the last election of 2017. “I think the people here, who live in Montreal, who live in Quebec, are really part of the local community and the local community – but they also have their national property at heart,” said Sophie Lagoutte, Consul General in France. Montreal. And it seemed that the rain, the big factions and the waiting times did not prevent the voters from making their voices heard. Omar Djeziri waited in line for two hours at the Palais des congrès to vote. He said the vote was important, as his family still lives in France. “I want to decide with them. I am still interested in French politics even if I live here,” he said. A voter on the left checks his passport as he prepares to vote. Officials reminded voters to wear a French or European photo ID. (The Canadian Press)
On Saturday, Fouad Benhaida voted for the first time in a French election and brought his son with him as a teaching moment. “This is not just a right, but an obligation that everyone must fulfill,” he said. “I live here now, but maybe tomorrow I will return there and I want to have a good country.” In Ottawa, two polling stations were set up at the Lycée Claudel Private School – one for Outaouais-based voters and the other for Ottawa voters. Julien Le Roy voted there and said he did, although he was not particularly inspired by the presidential race. “The excitement was not really there,” Le Roy told Radio Canada in a French-language interview. “I will vote because I think it is still important, but there is not much enthusiasm.”

Echoes of 2017

The long waiting times to get to the polls were not the only similarities with the 2017 elections. The choice for voters is almost a repeat of five years ago, with incumbent President Emanuel Macron trying to counter his main challenge, Marin Le Pen. In 2017, Macron was elected the youngest French president and is now seeking a new term. He is among the 12 candidates running for the presidency. The winner must get more than 50 percent of the vote, and if that does not happen, a run-off election will be held with the two highest votes on 23 April for French nationals in Montreal and 24 April in France. A run-off election with the two highest votes will be held on 23 April for French nationals in Montreal but on 24 April in France. (The Canadian Press)
Macron said on Friday he was confident he would run in the weekend election, despite far-right rival Le Pen narrowing the gap in opinion polls just days before the first round. Polling companies say Le Pen, who is running for a third term in office, is likely to finish second behind Macron if they both qualify for the final round. The results of the crucial first round of voting will begin on Sunday.

title: “Thousands Of French Expats In Montreal Wait Hours To Cast Vote For Next President " ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-27” author: “Arthur Ellis”

Voters in France go to the polls on Sunday. But for citizens abroad, Saturday was their chance to vote. In Montreal, voters waited in a slow queue that more than once wrapped around the Palais des Congrès in the city center. Some waited almost three hours to vote. “We know the line is big [but it’s moving well]”Everyone is looking forward to voting, we are doing our best,” the French consulate in Montreal tweeted earlier in the afternoon. Ballot boxes in Canada for the French elections are open from 8 am to 7 pm ET. pic.twitter.com/n3mXjAIoXW – @ FranceaMontreal
Montreal has the largest community of French expatriates outside Europe. About 67,132 voters are registered to vote here – about 10,000 more than in the last election of 2017. “I think the people here, who live in Montreal, who live in Quebec, are really part of the local community and the local community – but they also have their national property at heart,” said Sophie Lagoutte, Consul General in France. Montreal. And it seemed that the rain, the big factions and the waiting times did not prevent the voters from making their voices heard. Omar Djeziri waited in line for two hours at the Palais des congrès to vote. He said the vote was important, as his family still lives in France. “I want to decide with them. I am still interested in French politics even if I live here,” he said. A voter on the left checks his passport as he prepares to vote. Officials reminded voters to wear a French or European photo ID. (The Canadian Press)
On Saturday, Fouad Benhaida voted for the first time in a French election and brought his son with him as a teaching moment. “This is not just a right, but an obligation that everyone must fulfill,” he said. “I live here now, but maybe tomorrow I will return there and I want to have a good country.” In Ottawa, two polling stations were set up at the Lycée Claudel Private School – one for Outaouais-based voters and the other for Ottawa voters. Julien Le Roy voted there and said he did, although he was not particularly inspired by the presidential race. “The excitement was not really there,” Le Roy told Radio Canada in a French-language interview. “I will vote because I think it is still important, but there is not much enthusiasm.”

Echoes of 2017

The long waiting times to get to the polls were not the only similarities with the 2017 elections. The choice for voters is almost a repeat of five years ago, with incumbent President Emanuel Macron trying to counter his main challenge, Marin Le Pen. In 2017, Macron was elected the youngest French president and is now seeking a new term. He is among the 12 candidates running for the presidency. The winner must get more than 50 percent of the vote, and if that does not happen, a run-off election will be held with the two highest votes on 23 April for French nationals in Montreal and 24 April in France. A run-off election with the two highest votes will be held on 23 April for French nationals in Montreal but on 24 April in France. (The Canadian Press)
Macron said on Friday he was confident he would run in the weekend election, despite far-right rival Le Pen narrowing the gap in opinion polls just days before the first round. Polling companies say Le Pen, who is running for a third term in office, is likely to finish second behind Macron if they both qualify for the final round. The results of the crucial first round of voting will begin on Sunday.