The Swiss media La Tribune de Genève and its counterparts Le Temps and RTS have already broadcast the results of the legislative elections before 8 p.m….
As in every election with high national stakes in France, the Belgian and Swiss media should, this Sunday, June 30, the date of the first round of the 2024 legislative elections, reveal national trends before 8 p.m., the legal time for the end of voting in the country. The Tribune de Genève, Radio Télévision Suisse (RTS), Le Temps, on the Swiss side, but also RTBF or La Libre Belgique in the flat country… They are indeed numerous to play with the nerves of the Commission of polls and the bosses of French media every year, most often powerless.
The Tribune de Genève is a pioneer. It had particularly distinguished itself during the first and second rounds of the presidential election in 2017, resuming estimates very early in the evening, then continuing in its “live” broadcast on its website, to serialize the result of the election, under the noses of the media in France, which were kept silent by law. Five years later, during the presidential election again,The Swiss newspaper had once again participated in the big reveal, delivering information on its website and on Twitter from the end of the afternoon.
On his 2022 thread, we found in particular an “estimate” from 7:45 p.m., where Emmanuel Macron was well ahead, at 31.9% compared to 22.4% for Marine Le Pen and 20% for Jean-Luc Mélenchon. Other sometimes more outlandish estimates, taken from his Belgian colleagues, notably from Libre Belgique, were also proposed. Among them, an estimate which gave Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen “neck and neck”… As a reminder, Emmanuel Macron won the first round with 27.85% of the votes ahead of Marine Le Pen at 23.15%.
Leaks also in the legislative elections
If the practice is less visible during elections for the Assembly than during a presidential election, data was also leaked during the legislative elections, in particular the legislative elections of 2022, to “spoiler” the result. During the first round of the last legislative elections, the near equality of LREM and Nupes at the time, around 25%, was announced from Switzerland and Belgium long minutes before the 8 p.m. gong in France. A way of defeating the French media, required to respect the law and the non-disclosure of any results before H-hour.
La Tribune de Genève, RTS and Le Temps are accustomed to this fact. But it was Belgium, and even Free Belgium for that matter, which revealed the first estimates shortly after 7 p.m. two years ago, for the legislative elections. Trends close to what the final result of the vote will reveal a few minutes later. Rebelote undoubtedly this Sunday, June 30 since the Belgian media has already promised its readers on its website that they will be able to “find the first reliable results of the French legislative elections before 8 p.m. this Sunday.”
“At each French election, the Belgian media, including La Libre, can reveal the results of the vote in advance. Unlike the French media, they are not required to wait until 8 p.m. and the closing of all the polling stations,” we can read. Nothing like that for the moment on the websites of the Tribune de Genève, Le Temps or RTS. But even the Swiss can like the unexpected…