Expected result

Well the best thing we can say about the elections is that they're over. The socialists got hammered and there's been a significant swing to the right. The NF in some instances but just to the right in others. Whichever combination, it means the right wing lobby have strengthened their position. No doubt it will give some encouragement to their cohorts in the UK.

We were able to vote in the local elections for the first time and were delighted to be able to do so. We'd registered last year.   We've had the house here for nearly 6 years, although for most of that time we were living our split life. Then last April - a year next week - we moved to this side of the channel. We've steadily got to know quite a few people and to recognise others, which in terms of the Cravant elections, means that we knew all the candidates on the list except for just two of the names. Cravant had one list as our population is under 1000, whereas bigger towns such as Chinon had three or more.

Back at the beginning of the year, there was a drink and a chat for the village with our mayor and team, in the salle de fête, where we were told that new regulations required everyone took a piece of identity with them when they went to vote. Duly noted and for us passeports were the obvious thing. 

The day finally arrived. Down we went to the centre of Cravant fully kitted out with all the required documentation. The system in France is different! If you consider the British process, all the tellers, the people inside checking your name off etc. No candidate anywhere involved with the actual process. Here, it was the candidates themselves who were managing the voting process.  So in we went into the salle, to be met by all the friendly faces of the candidates. Tried to present our passeports. Of course no one was interested as we all knew each other. It was the usual convivialité of kissing and handshaking. I felt ridiculously excited. Just couldn't stop grinning. Took our slips into the booths, marked them up, put them back in little blue envelopes, then went back to post in them in the votes box and a cheer went up. Everyone knew it was the first time we voted.

Essentially the candidates on our local list were all voted back on. Chinon however was a different story. Big swing to the right. The socialist vote fell back to about 25%. There seem to be various reasons for that. The anticipated disillusionment vote with Hollande. The socialists also fell out badly between themselves, splitting their own voting base. And then so we understand, a significant number of voters, were not prepared under any circumstances to vote for a female mayor. The socialists had fielded a woman.  

So interesting and probably difficult times ahead.