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Les élections
In French election years (every three to six years, depending on which of the six types of elections is taking place), the news is filled with an array of specialized words and phrases you might not be familiar with.
Here’s some essential vocabulary to help you make sense of everything.
| Élections | Elections | |
| les départementales les élections départementales |
departmental elections | |
| les législatives les élections législatives |
legislative elections | |
| les municipales les élections municipales |
municipal elections | |
| les présidentielles les élections présidentielles |
presidential elections | |
| les régionales les élections régionales |
regional elections | |
| les sénatoriales les élections sénatoriales |
senatorial elections | |
| la primaire l’élection primaire | primary election | |
| le premier tour | first round | |
| le deuxième tour | second round, run-off | |
| une élection triangulaire une triangulaire |
3-way race in 2nd round | |
| une élection quadrangulaire une quadrangulaire |
4-way race in 2nd round |
| Le vote | Voting | |
| l’abstention | abstention, not voting | |
| l’âge légal pour voter | voting age | |
| le bulletin (de vote) | ballot | |
| le bureau de vote | polling place | |
| la clôture du scrutin | close of polling | |
| la cohabitation | situation when president and prime minister represent different parties | |
| la consigne de vote | guidance on who to vote for* | |
| le débat | debate | |
| le dépouillement | counting of the votes | |
| le droit de vote | right to vote | |
| un électorat | electorate, constituency | |
| ex æquo | tied | |
| un isoloir | voting booth | |
| l’ouverture du scrutin | start of polling | |
| le parrainage | sponsorship** | |
| le quinquennat | 5-year term | |
| les résultats | results | |
| le scrutin | ballot | |
| le septennat (obsolete) | 7-year term | |
| le sondage | poll | |
| sortant | outgoing (unless re-elected) | |
| le suffrage | vote, voting | |
| le taux de participation électorale fort taux de participation électorale faible taux de participation électorale |
turnout at the polls high turnout low turnout |
|
| l’urne | ballot box | |
| la voix | voice, vote | |
| le vote barrage | voting against a candidate (as opposed to voting for one) | |
| le vote blanc | blank ballot (deliberate) | |
| le vote d’adhéision | voting for a candidate that one likes / agrees with | |
| le vote de conviction | voting for a candidate that one likes / agrees with | |
| le vote de rejet | voting against a candidate | |
| le vote nul | null ballot (deliberate or accidental) | |
| le vote utile | tactical vote (voting for candidate expected to win) | |
| Gens et organismes | People and Organizations | |
| l’Assemblée générale | National Assembly | |
| le candidat la candidate |
candidate | |
| la chambre haute (du Parlement) | Senate | |
| la chambre basse (du Parlement) | National Assembly | |
| le député | N.A. deputy, member ~ congressperson (US) ~ MP (UK) |
|
| le conseil régional | regional council | |
| le conseil départemental | departmental council | |
| le conseil municipal | town / city council | |
| un conseiller une conseillère |
councillor | |
| un électeur une électrice |
voter | |
| l’Élysée | Elysée Palace | |
| le gagnant / vainqueur la gagnante |
winner | |
| le Parlement | Parliament | |
| le partisan | supporter | |
| le premier ministre | Prime Minister | |
| le président | president | |
| le Sénat | Senate | |
| le sénateur | senator | |
| Échiquier politique | Political Spectrum | |
| le centre | center | |
| la droite | right | |
| le centre-droite | moderate right | |
| le centre-gauche | moderate left | |
| l’extrême droite | extreme right | |
| l’extrême-gauche | extreme left | |
| la gauche | left | |
| un indécis une indécise |
undecided voter | |
| Verbes | Verbs | |
| aller aux urnes | to vote | |
| appeler à voter ___* | to call (for supporters) to vote for ___ | |
| arriver en tête | to be the top candidate | |
| avoir l’âge légal | to be old enough (to vote) | |
| dépouiller un scrutin | to count the votes | |
| donner la consigne de vote* | to recommend another candidate | |
| élire | to elect | |
| être en tête | to be in the lead | |
| gagner | to win | |
| obtenir le même nombre de voix | to tie | |
| perdre | to lose | |
| se présenter aux élections | to run in the election | |
| remporter les élections | to win the election | |
| repasser | to retake the lead | |
| voter | to vote |
* When a candidate is out of the running, s/he typically recommends another candidate to his/her supporters.
** Potential presidential candidates must collect 500 signatures from elected officials in order to appear on the ballot.
To learn the official names of the biggest French political parties, see Acronyms and initialisms.
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