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The European elections were held against a tense backdrop, nearly four weeks after the unrest began. On Sunday 9 June, scores of police and gendarmes were mobilized to guard the six polling stations in Nouméa.
Please show your ID before entering the polling station. If voters have no difficulty complying with the rules, this unusual procedure reflects a context that remains very delicate four weeks after the start of the unrest. In Nouméa, all offices are protected and monitored by numerous gendarmes and police. However, the installation is limited to the outside of buildings, as stipulated by the electoral law.
Inside, the atmosphere was calmer. At the Ko We Kara site in Ducos, voters were able to fill out their ballots without any problems. They came from the northern regions: Tindu, Logicoop, Kaméré and Rivière-Salée. And the main difficulty this Sunday was not security… it was finding the right office.
“I have to go to Seremban, I’m sent here and there, and I have to go back to Courtois because that’s not the right office. It’s a bit of an obstacle, but I will fulfil my duty as a citizen, even if it’s a bit complicated today”a Noumean testified at the end of the morning.
In addition to the logistical difficulties, some people have to organize themselves differently so as not to leave their homes unattended. “Many voters chose others who were afraid to come to vote, unsure if they would be able to go home with what was happening outside””, explains Christiane Saridjan, a resident of the Logicoop district and head of the polling station, which is usually located in her area, namely the Daniel Talon school, which burned down on May 20.
“It’s solidarity, people organizing like this, some staying home while partners go to vote and vice versa.”she continued.
In Answata, voters had less difficulty reaching the sports stadium, the most important venue in Nouméa, where 16 polling stations are concentrated in one place. Although these elections generally did not arouse the enthusiasm of Caledonians, some people still remembered the tasks of the day despite the current situation.
“Europe is very important for our island and this is the least I can do”” one resident whispered to us as he left the office. “This is an opportunity, a right, and even an obligation to make our voices heard.”Another voter added that he had no hesitation riding his bike from Waymo to attend the event.
In Noumea, more than 73,000 voters were called to vote. There were no reports of overflow near polling stations in the capital.
Here is the report from Sheïma Riahi and Gaël Detcheverry:
In Nouméa, polling stations were closely monitored – reports by Sheïma Riahi and Gaël Detcheverry.
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