Paris, March 15 Some 70,000 polling stations opened on Sunday in France in the first round of municipal elections amid widespread restrictions to fight the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the country.
Almost 48 million voters are eligible to case their votes elect mayors in 35,000 municipalities for the next six years in an unprecedented environment, reports Efe news.
France has seen almost 4,500 confirmed infections and more than 90 deaths from the virus, which emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019 and has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization.
A few hours after the government announced the closure of all non-essential public establishments in a bid to slow the spread of the outbreak, polling stations were ready to receive citizens.
The participation rate will be closely monitored to answer the question of whether fears over the contagion will result in a low turnout.
There have been growing calls for the authorities to delay the electoral appointment because of the exceptional circumstances.
President of Occitanie Carole Delga asked for a postponement after Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced the closure of bars, restaurants, cinemas and non-essential stores.
"In view of the latest statements by the prime minister and the growing concern of the population, I think that the most sensible thing would be to delay the municipal elections," she said in French on Twitter.
The government debated an electoral delay on Thursday, shortly before the President Emmanuel Macron addressed the nation in a televised speech.
But leaders of the main parties strongly opposed a postponement and even went as far as to say that doing so would amount to an institutional coup d'etat.
Polling stations have been equipped with hand gel, a person dedicated to cleaning, signs on the floor to keep distance between voters and messages reminding citizens to avoid contact with each other.
They must also give priority to elderly or frail people and allow them to cast their votes without having to wait in queues.
The Interior Ministry will publish turnout figures at 20:00 local time (19:00 GMT) when voting will close and the count will begin.
Polls have predicted a good result for environmentalists, stability for conservatives and socialists, a moderate rise in the extreme right and a bad result for Macron's party.
If the predictions are fulfilled, Paris will be in socialist hands and Marseille in that of the conservatives with Macron's party looking to win Lyon.
The far-right could win Perpignan, the largest city in its history, and environmentalists could secure a victory in Bordeaux.
( With inputs from IANS )