MARIGOT--Resurgent centre-right candidate François Fillon emerged as the biggest vote-getter in St. Martin capturing 1,376 votes (27.19 per cent) in the first round of France’s Presidential Election, proving here at least that allegations of paying his wife and children for fake jobs out of public money had nothing to do with his programme and did not bother those who came out to vote.

 

Results for the French overseas territories were published on the Ministry of the Interior’s website.

 

Radical far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen was second most popular with 1,203 votes (23.77 per cent) while centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron, tipped to win the run-off on May 7 against Le Pen, achieved 1,117 votes (22. 08 per cent).

The impressive late surge by Jean-Luc Mélenchon filtered through to the overseas territories and he was fourth most popular with 854 votes (16.88 per cent).

 

In the remaining results in St. Martin from the 11 candidates, socialist Benoît Hamon had 176 votes (3.48 per cent), Nicolas Dupont-Aignan 121 votes (2.39 per cent), Philippe Poutou 66 votes (1.30 per cent), Francois Asselineau 65 votes (1.28 per cent), Jean Lassale 41 votes (0.81 per cent), Nathalie Arthaud 26 votes (0.51 per cent), and Jacques Cheminade 15 votes (0.30 per cent).

 

Voting in St. Martin was marked again by a very low turnout from the 20,153 eligible voters. There were 14,844 abstentions (73.66 per cent). Only 5,309 persons cast votes (26.34 per cent) and from that 163 were blank, and 86 invalid.

 

The 19 polling stations will be in operation again in St. Martin for the second round of the Presidential Election on Saturday, May 6. Mainland France votes on Sunday, May 7.

 

The Daily Herald