The twice-deferred elections to choose people's representatives of the French living abroad will now be held on November 7.
The sexennial elections afford French citizens living abroad across the world the means to elect their representatives, called ‘councillors for the French living abroad’, or advisers.
In southern India, the elections involve French citizens residing in the Union Territory of Puducherry, apart from Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Three seats are to be filled for this constituency.
There are an estimated 4,600 voters, a majority of them, in the Union Territory. The five candidates in the fray head six-member ‘lists’ of nominees and each make their case with distinct manifestoes.
The elections, held once in six years, were originally scheduled for 2020 with candidates even commencing campaigning, but got postponed because of the pandemic.
It was rescheduled again from May 30 this year.
“We had already chosen this idea of change last year, to address the French community because this was the feedback we received from the persons we have been in touch with or who came to us,” said Chantal Samuel-David, who is a candidate with a list of six nominees representing the ‘Unis pour le Changement’ (United for Change).
Under the unique electoral system that provides special representation for the French citizens living abroad, there are 442 representatives worldwide for French living abroad, or “councillors for French living abroad”. In turn, these councillors form part of an electoral college that vote for the representation of French citizens abroad at the Assembly of French Citizens Abroad and for members of the Senat, or the French Parliament’s upper house.
Among the four regions, Asia is represented by 93 councillors. India consists of two electoral districts — one in the north of India and another in the south. In the southern constituency, there are 3 seats to be filled and the voters are the French citizens registered on the consular voter list and residing in Union Territory of Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andaman, Nicobar and Lakshwadeep. There are 4,629 voters in the southern constituency.
According to Ms. Samuel-David, what is quite special about these elections, is the stipulation that all lists of candidates should have perfect gender parity.
The role of these councillors is to assist French citizens on day-to-day issues (education, health, security, retirement, etc) and to represent them before the French Consulate and the French authorities.
This year, the other candidates heading the lists of six nominees are ‘The Experience at the Heart of the French’ led by Prédibane Siva, ‘The Solidarity and Ecocitoyen Movement of Pondichery, Tamil Nadu and Kerala’, a list that proclaims the support of the Europe Ecologie Les Verts, and is headed by Audrey Pelerin, ‘the Solidarity Alliance of the French of Pondichery’, led by Tirougnanasambandare Siva and ‘Together for Progress’, led by Balaramin Bichat.
The French community is getting more and more diverse and expectations and demands have also evolved, says Ms. Samuel-David. Though from diverse backgrounds, her nominees have been engaged in social work, and together hope to represent the voice of the community through the Consulate or through other French administrations.
Candidates have appealed to voters to turn out at one of the six polling booths in south India. Voting has been scheduled from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. There are four booths in Puducherry and one each in Chennai and Karaikal.