with the school holidays, there are many proxies for the second round of the election

In front of the Bagneux (Hauts-de-Seine) police station, everyone has their good reason to come and make a proxy for the second round of the presidential election on April 24. “It’s school holidays so I’m taking my children to be looked after by my parents in Vendée”, explains Danielle. For Flori, too, a trip to his parents, “in Algeria”, is planned. Joel either “not [sera] not in France” at polling time, just like Patrick, who “volunteered for a humanitarian convoy in Ukraine”.

>> Presidential 2022: follow the last day of the campaign before the second round in our live

As in Bagneux, all areas of France are on spring break this weekend. This generates a sharp increase in power of attorney requests. In the Hauts-de-Seine, for example, where the holidays are due to start on Friday 22, more than 52,000 people have given power of attorney for the second, or nearly 70% more than in the first round.

“Everything went well”welcomes Philippe, who has just finalized the process in less than three minutes with a policeman. “It’s going very fast.” He made the request online before coming to validate it at the police station. “As soon as we give our identity, they already have all the information. We even come out without papers.”

For Frédéric, there was no question of not voting. “It is importanthe believes. If we don’t take care of politics, she takes care of you. So we have to vote.” Frédéric also wants to give his voice, even if it is not with a good heart. “I hesitated because none of the people in the running appeal to me, but there is one who appeals to me even less than the other.” He therefore resigned himself to making a power of attorney to, despite everything, slip a ballot into the ballot box. “I told myself that it was even better to push in the less bad direction”he justifies, hoping with a small smile that his neighbor, who is his representative, will vote according to his instructions. “Maybe she’ll vote for something else!”he laughs.

Even if he is in Ukraine at the time of the vote, Joël gave his power of attorney to his son, which he had not done in 2017. For him, voting is important. “You should not ask too many questions about the color you are going to put in the ballot box. There is only one because there are scarlet colors that must be avoided at all costs… “he slips.

“Five years ago, I refused to vote in the second round. Today, I’m scared. That’s why my son will go for me.”

Joel, voter by proxy

at franceinfo

Patrick also wants to be represented in the ballot. While he has already voted white in the past, this time he made a proxy because he absolutely wants to see his candidate triumph. “I’ve always been for Marine Le Pen. The more it goes, the more it deteriorates and if it’s Emmanuel Macron, it’s who wins, it’s a disaster. We’re going to return to misery”he says.