Abu Dhabi: More than 2,000 French residents in Abu Dhabi cast their votes on Sunday for the French presidential election between far-right leader Marine Le Pen and the centrist Emmanuel Macron.
All eyes will be eagerly fixed on France when the results are announced, with the European Union (EU) hoping to stem the tide of anti-globalist and far-right populism represented by leaders such as Le Pen. Macron, who doesn’t hail from any of the traditional political parties, is seen as a more moderate and balanced leader who will work with the EU and present a more positive policy towards migration and the refugee crisis.
“I am hoping for a positive future for France. I would like to think that the French people will know what to do today, and to make the right decision to take our country into the right direction,” said Virginie Gerrard, a French voter who has been living in Abu Dhabi for four years.
“I want to see France remaining in the EU and to help make the EU strong. I also want to see France solving some of the crisis that it is facing, so we will have to wait and see how everything turns out,” she added.
Gerrard said that she was proud to be able to cast her vote in Abu Dhabi, and said that it was an essential part of French democracy for its citizens to cast their ballots.
“It’s important for all French citizens to vote whether they are living inside or outside of France; we fought for this right and so it is a privilege that we are able to vote.
“I am just hoping that we will all be walking with our heads held high tomorrow when the results are announced,” she added.
Clemence Montagne, a pro-Macron voter in Abu Dhabi, said she was happy to cast her vote for her candidate as she believed he represented a fresh change in French politics.
“The great change for this election is the fact that there are no traditional political parties involved, so I really hope for the redistribution of the political gain in France,” she said.
“I really believe that Macron will give us a new hope in Europe, and I believe that he is the solution for a stronger Europe both economically and politically. I hope that he will implement policies that are very welcoming for refugees in France along with other good policies.
“He is only 39 years old, so it’s a huge step forward. Macron is so fresh and new, he is our version of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. I really believe in him and was voting for him from the start, and not just in the second final round,” she added.
Clio A, who was also casting her vote in Abu Dhabi, said she hoped to see a more open and tolerant France after the elections.
“I want to see a more tolerant and open-minded country, it is one my main hopes, especially when see what’s happening so I just wish we will be more tolerant and welcoming,” she said.
“I hope the future sees us become more open-minded on the issues of migration and religion and so on,” she added.
Clio said that she also wanted a leader who would stand up for the interests of the French people.
“We want to have good politicians with less corruption and less misbehaviours, and politicians who will stand up for the people.”
Gilbert Perrot, Consul at the French Embassy in Abu Dhabi, said that a lot of work was done to organise the voting process in Abu Dhabi, including receiving the voting booths from France.
“In Abu Dhabi we have around 2,100 registered voters. The preparation is difficult because we have to find the right place to hold the voting event, and then we have to bring the right equipment from France like the voting booths,” he explained.
“It is also expensive to organise such an event so we have to find someplace that is not very expensive and respects our budget, and then afterwards we also have to find the right people who will staff the voting areas and then later count all the ballots in the evening,” he added.
Perrot praised the high turnout of French voters in the UAE, who he said represented an important pillar of French democracy.
“The French president is a symbol for all the French people around the world, the president represents France, and so it is important for all French citizens to go and vote to choose their next president.”
