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France Votes in Local Elections, Under Coronavirus Cloud

Lisa Bryant

   People across France voted in the first round of municipal elections
   Sunday -- one of the few major events that authorities haven't canceled
   or postponed over the coronavirus outbreak. Voters may punish President
   Emmanuel Macron's young party.

   French authorities have shuttered schools, restaurants and
   non-essential commerce across the country to help slow the coronavirus
   outbreak that now counts roughly 4,500 cases here. But local elections
   are going forward, despite criticism. Here, in the 11th arrondissement
   of Paris, there was a steady flow of voters entering the local city
   hall.

   Malthilde, a mother of two, says she isn't worried about voting
   --there's just as much chance contracting coronavirus at supermarkets,
   which remain open. She's more concerned about juggling a new job and
   her two toddlers who are now home, under the prevention measures,
   rather than at daycare.

   German resident Andrea, who as a European Union citizen can vote in
   these local elections, is also unconcerned about getting infected.

   "I voted here without any problems, said Andrea. "They have upstairs,
   at any desk, you have disinfectant, and there is no problem at all to
   vote."

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