Dies one vote for an ultra-right wing extremist who mouths off racist points of view and aggressively attacks her opponent on national television (#Marine Le Pen)?
Or does one go for the centrist guy, a new arrival, charming but potentially ill equipped for the long game; since his political party – called #En Marche – has only just been established in the last year?
It seems that #France struggled to make up their mind, with a historically high 25.3 percent abstention rate, which has been the highest since 1969. More tellingly, about 12 percent of the total voting population of France – an historic record – cast spoiled or blank ballets, which suggests that, for some, it seemed there was no real choice.
Registering one's disapproval by a blank ballot is one of the oldest tricks in the book – but it's a move that lacks sincerity and power.
Opting out
Even though neither candidate in the French election seemed to represent a mainstream party, the decision to opt out is never a solution. Particularly on the left of the political spectrum, some #French voters felt that the only alternative to the far right on offer – Le Pen –was actually more right than left.
Not to vote is an act of laziness, in my opinion. It's better to vote in the general direction – or in this case away from the one true offending choice.