The 2024 Europeans take place this Sunday June 9. How to vote in elections in France and what is the voting process?
This Sunday, French citizens are called to the polls to elect their deputies to the European Parliament. The ballot, which takes place every 5 years, allows voters to choose those who will carry their voice within the European Union, responsible in particular for voting on the texts proposed by the European Commission.
To vote in this election in France, you must be registered on the electoral lists of your municipality. This registration must have been made no later than the sixth Friday preceding the vote. Young people turning 18 at the latest the day before the election are automatically registered if they completed the census formalities at 16. European citizens residing in France can also register on the complementary electoral lists specific to the European elections.
Once this condition is met, voters will be able to go to their polling station, generally located near their home, with an identity document. Polling stations will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a possible extension until 8 p.m. in certain large cities if a prefectural decree provides for it.
Voting rules in France
When they arrive at the polling station, voters will therefore have to present a document proving their identity: national identity card, passport, driving license, etc. The electoral card, although useful, is not obligatory. The members of the office will check that the voter is indeed registered on the office’s electoral list.
The vote itself follows a few simple but strict rules. The voter must grab an envelope as well as several ballots from the candidate lists (“at least two” according to the government website Vie-publique.fr). Passing through the voting booth is obligatory in order to guarantee the confidentiality of the vote. Once in the voting booth, the voter inserts the ballot of his choice into the envelope before slipping it into the transparent ballot box, under the gaze of the president of the polling station. He will then have to sign the attendance list, thus proving that he has voted. His electoral card will also be stamped to attest to this.
Any obvious indication of the vote or any addition to the ballot will render the vote void. The Ministry of the Interior indicates that “any discussion or deliberation by voters is prohibited inside polling stations”, on the basis of the electoral code. A fine is even planned – 15,000 euros – and up to one year of imprisonment. If flexibility is required regarding possible accompanying persons (children, help for a disabled person), pets, or clothing, certain abuses may be considered as violations of the secrecy of the vote (taking a photo or selfie, clothing displaying a political logo).
The rules of power of attorney
People who cannot go to the polling station on election day have the option of voting by proxy, by authorizing another voter to vote in their place. Since 2022, it has been possible to give proxy to any trusted voter, even if they are not registered in the same municipality. Each agent can only hold one power of attorney, with exceptions.
The power of attorney can be made via an online request on the website maprocuration.gouv.fr, then by going to a police station or gendarmerie to have your identity verified and your power of attorney validated. It is also possible to go directly to a police station, a gendarmerie or a consulate for residents abroad, to complete the procedure from start to finish. The proxy can be established up to a few days before the election, but pay attention to delivery and processing times. Doing it too late risks not allowing the town hall to take it into account in time.
French people residing abroad and registered on a consular electoral list can also vote for the European elections, either at the ballot box in their consulate, or by proxy, or by internet. To vote online, they must first register on the online voting site.
How are European deputies elected?
During the European elections, candidates are elected according to the rules of proportional representation (a principle common to all member states), by list ballot with the highest average, on June 9, 2024. Diversity is prohibited. Lists having obtained at least 5% of the votes benefit from a number of seats proportional to their number of votes. Seats are allocated to candidates according to the order of presentation on each list.
But then, who can run as an MEP? Any French citizen or another member country of the European Union (EU), aged at least 18 years old and enjoying their civil and political rights, also subject to not exercising certain incompatible functions or mandates. EU citizens other than French must have their real domicile or continuous residence in France and attest to enjoying their right of eligibility in their country of origin. A simple declaration is requested from them. Candidates are prohibited from simultaneously submitting an application in France and in another Member State.
720 MEPs elected, 81 candidates per list in France
For these 2024 European elections, 720 deputies are elected on June 9, 15 more than in the previous elections in 2019. As a general rule, the number of deputies is decided before each election. The total number cannot exceed 750 plus the president. Please note, the method of election of representatives to the European Parliament of the Member States is the free choice of each State. In France, the law of June 25, 2018 reestablished a single electoral constituency across the entire territory (a law of April 11, 2003 had established eight interregional constituencies for the European elections) since the 2019 elections.
This single constituency, which existed until 2003, meets three objectives according to the government: guaranteeing political pluralism, strengthening the European character of the election and making it more understandable for voters. Furthermore, the single constituency is the majority model in EU countries.
In fact, voters in France vote for a national list of 81 candidates from among all those presented by political parties and groups. Each national list must have a number of candidates equal to the number of seats to be filled. No one can be a candidate on more than one list. The submission of each list is the responsibility of the leading candidate or a representative designated by him.
6 MEPs for the smallest countries, 96 for the largest
If several lists have the same average for the allocation of the last seat, it goes to the list which obtained the greatest number of votes. In the event of a tie, the seat is allocated to the list with the youngest average age. If, during the legislature, a seat becomes vacant for any reason, it is allocated to the next unelected candidate on the list.
In France, voters elect 81 deputies, this is the second highest number behind Germany (96). The number of MEPs elected in each EU country is agreed before each election and is based on the principle of degressive proportionality, meaning that each MEP from a large country represents more people than one MEP of a small country. The minimum number of MPs from any country is six (Malta, Luxembourg, or Cyprus) and the maximum number is 96.
After the election, elected deputies work to form political groups. During its first plenary session where all MEPs meet, the new Parliament elects a president. At a subsequent session, Parliament elects the President of the European Commission and then examines and approves the entire college of commissioners. The MEP is elected for a 5-year term. On the other hand, his role as a committee member is divided into two parts. Commissions are renewed mid-term, in other words, every two and a half years.