National voter participation reached 48.10 percent by 17:00 on Sunday during the second round of French municipal elections as abstention rates trended toward record highs.Data from the Ministry of the Interior showed a midday turnout of 20.33 percent while regional engagement varied between 16.08 percent in Essonne and 26.59 percent in Sarthe.Expert
Vincent Tiberj attributed the continued decline in participation to voter apathy following surveys where citizens cited predictable results or lacked interest.