thousands of French people vote in Montreal

On Saturday April 23, French voters living in Montreal (Canada) were able to vote for the second round of the presidential election. They were therefore not afraid to face hours of queues. “Even if we wait two hours every five years, that’s fine. In the ‘family’ line, we can go a little faster”, explains a voter. The families came equipped with snacks and games to wait.

The French consul and her teams have been preparing this enormous logistical operation for months. “We chose a large location to accommodate a large crowd because we knew that there were going to be tens of thousands of voters. The Palais des Congrès therefore seemed to us to be the most suitable place”, says Sophie Lagoutte, Consul General of France in Montreal. On the floors, the polling stations are running at full speed. Although many intend to stay in Canada, the attachment to this civic duty remains strong. In the first round, turnout was 35%, a figure well below the national average, but common in overseas constituencies.