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Vie-publique.fr
Abstention, blank vote and null vote: what differences?
Publié le 12 avril 2022 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
These three concepts refer to a mode of participation or non-participation in an election. They are very different even if they have in common that they are not counted in the votes cast.
Abstention means not participating in an election or in referendum operations. It reflects either a lack of interest in public life or an active political choice not to speak out in order to disagree. The trend increase in abstention seems to reflect a crisis of representation and may raise the question of the legitimacy of the elected political power with low turnout. (read more about Vie-publique.fr).
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