2018 French residents overseas' 5th constituency by-election

A by-election was held in the fifth constituency for French residents overseas on 8 April 2018, with a second round on 22 April as no candidate secured a majority of votes in the first round. The by-election was called after the Constitutional Council invalidated the election of Samantha Cazebonne, candidate of La République En Marche! in the June 2017 legislative elections, on 2 February 2018. Cazebonne was re-elected in the second round on 22 April 2018, albeit with a reduced margin compared to June 2017.

French residents overseas' 5th constituency, 2018

← 2017 8 April 2018 (first round)
22 April 2018 (second round)
2022 →
Turnout7.87% Decrease8.07% (first round)
7.97% Decrease5.57% (first round)
 
Nominee Samantha Cazebonne François Ralle-Andreoli Raphaël Chambat
Party LREM LFI LR
1st round
%
2,398
35.15% Decrease15.21%
1,941
28.45% Increase12.93%
952
13.95% Decrease1.15%
2nd round
%
3,623
53.96% Decrease12.25%
3,091
46.04% Increase12.25%
Eliminated

 
Nominee Jean-Laurent Poitevin Mehdi Benlahcen
Party DVD PS
1st round
%
511
7.49% Increase7.49%
510
7.47% Decrease0.66%
2nd round
%
Eliminated Eliminated

Deputy before election

Samantha Cazebonne
LREM

Elected deputy

Samantha Cazebonne
LREM

Background

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In the first round of the 2017 legislative elections on 4 June, La République En Marche! candidate Samantha Cazebonne obtained a majority of votes in the first round in the fifth constituency for French residents overseas (representing French nationals residing in Spain, Portugal, Andorra, and Monaco). However, she was not immediately elected because of low turnout,[1] with candidates who secure a majority in the first round required to also obtain the votes of at least 25% of registered voters in order to avoid a second round.[2] François Ralle-Andreoli, candidate of La France Insoumise (FI), obtained 15.52% of the vote and advanced to the second round, while Laurence Sailliet of The Republicans (LR), with 15.11%, was eliminated by 60 votes.[3]

After the election, Laurence Sailliet filed an appeal with the Constitutional Council. Sailliet contended that Cazebonne violated article L. 52-8 of the electoral code, which states that individuals are prohibited from supporting the campaign of a candidate by supplying "goods, services or other direct or indirect advantages at prices lower than those normally practised", and was therefore ineligible for election under article L.O. 136–1. Sailliet claimed that Cazebonne was present at a meeting of business leaders over a meal at a restaurant in Barcelona on 13 June that was financed by the France-Spain Chamber of Commerce and Industry. However, the records Cazebonne submitted to the National Commission for Campaign Accounts and Political Financing (CNCCFP) showed that the meal was paid for by each of its participants, not the France-Spain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and this complaint was therefore dismissed.[4][5]

Although the complaint concerning the eligibility of Cazebonne was rejected, Sailliet also raised concerns about the administration of the election. Due to an error, voting materials were not mailed to 94 voters before the first round as required under article R. 176-4 of the electoral code; of these 94 voters, 56 did not vote despite having the right to do so. As a result of delays in the delivery of voting materials or omissions in those sent, many voters were unable to submit mail-in ballots during both rounds of voting. Although the number of voters affected by these issues was uncertain, the degree of these issues was attested to by a substantial number of voters who failed to vote, as confirmed by electoral rolls. In addition, under article L. 49 of the electoral code, diffusion of electoral messages is prohibited during the election silence. Ralle-Andreoli, who emailed a message at 20:03 local time on 3 June 2017 to some voters registered on electoral rolls within the constituency, violated this article. Given these issues and the small margin separating the second- and third-placed candidates in the first round, the constitutional council annulled the result of the election,[4][5] triggering a by-election within three months.[6]

On 21 February 2018, the first round of the by-election was scheduled for 8 April 2018, with a second round on 22 April should no candidate secure a majority of votes in the first round.[7]

2017 election result

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Candidate Party First round Second round
Votes % Votes %
Samantha Cazebonne LREM 7,274 50.36 7,828 66.21
François Ralle-Andreoli LFI 2,242 15.52 3,995 33.79
Laurence Sailliet LR 2,182 15.11
Gabrielle Siry PS 1,175 8.13
Natacha Barral FN 818 5.66
Hubert Patural DVD 206 1.43
Alexis Boudaud-Anduaga ECO 126 0.87
Olivia Tholance UPR 113 0.78
Éric Morgeau EXD 108 0.75
Benjamin Leduc PCD 85 0.59
Caroline Guébel DIV 59 0.41
Venise Jonnet DIV 51 0.35
Olivier Hennebelle PA 6 0.04
Chloé Teyssou DVD 0 0.00
Votes 14,445 100.00 11,823 100.00
Valid votes 14,445 99.18 11,823 95.66
Blank votes 71 0.49 417 3.37
Null votes 48 0.33 120 0.97
Turnout 14,564 15.94 12,360 13.54
Abstentions 76,810 84.06 78,931 86.46
Registered voters 91,374 91,291
Source: Ministry of the Interior

2018 by-election result

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Candidate Party First round Second round
Votes % +/– Votes % +/–
Samantha Cazebonne LREM 2,398 35.15 –15.21 3,623 53.96 –12.25
François Ralle-Andreoli LFI 1,941 28.45 +12.93 3,091 46.04 +12.25
Raphaël Chambat LR 952 13.95 –1.15
Jean-Laurent Poitevin DVD 511 7.49 +7.49
Mehdi Benlahcen PS 510 7.47 –0.66
Ludovic Lemoues EXD 275 4.03 +3.28
Yohann Castro DVD 122 1.79 +1.79
Michel Hunault DVD 63 0.92 +0.92
Samir Sahraoui DIV 51 0.75 +0.75
Votes 6,823 100.00 6,714 100.00
Valid votes 6,823 98.03 –1.15 6,714 95.26 –0.39
Blank votes 87 1.25 +0.76 203 2.88 –0.49
Null votes 50 0.72 +0.39 131 1.86 +0.89
Turnout 6,960 7.87 –8.07 7,048 7.97 –5.57
Abstentions 81,495 92.13 +8.07 81,360 92.03 +5.57
Registered voters 88,455 88,408
Source: Ministère de l’Europe et des Affaires étrangères (first round), (second round)

References

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  1. ^ "Législatives 2017 : la République en marche en tête chez les Français de l'étranger". Le Monde. 5 June 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  2. ^ Eléa Pommiers (26 April 2017). "Comment se déroulent les élections législatives". Le Monde. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  3. ^ "Résultats des élections législatives 2017". Ministère de l'Intérieur. 18 June 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Décision n° 2017-5052 AN du 2 février 2018". Conseil constitutionnel. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  5. ^ a b Catherine Lioult (6 February 2018). "Les Français de Monaco n'ont plus de députée". France 3 Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  6. ^ "Wallis et Futuna : le Conseil constitutionnel annule l'élection du député Napole Polutele". Outre-mer 1ère. Agence France-Presse. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  7. ^ "Décret n° 2018-116 du 20 février 2018 portant convocation des électeurs pour l'élection d'un député à l'Assemblée nationale (5e circonscription des Français établis hors de France)". Légifrance. 21 February 2018. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
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