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Abstention is a term in , depending on each legislation, while an abstentionnist hasn't voted. Both forms (abstention and blank vote) may or may not, depending on the circumstances, be considered as Protest Vote . An abstention may be used to indicate the voting individual's ambivalence about the measure, or mild disapproval that does not rise to the level of active opposition. A person may also abstain when they do not feel adequately informed about the issue at hand, or has not participated in relevant discussion. In parliamentary procedure, a member may be required to abstain in the case of a real or perceived Conflict Of Interest . Abstentions do not count in tallying the vote; when members abstain, they are in effect only attending the meeting to aid in constituting a quorum. White votes, however, may be counted in the total of votes, depending on the legislation. In some countries, some activist groups advocates the counting of white votes and plain abstentions in the total result of vote as a way of displaying the percentage of people opposed to all parliamentary options. A SPECIFIC CASE: THE 2002 FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION During the second round of the 2002 French presidential election, French Citizens had four possible options, since the election opposed Jacques Chirac , leader of the Right-wing UMP to Jean-Marie Le Pen , leader of the Far-right National Front — the Left-wing , usually represented by the three main parties Socialist Party , Communist Party and Greens , were beaten in the first turn by Chirac and Le Pen. Citizens could
Thus, during the two turns of the election, some left-wing radicals had called for a massive abstention or/and a massive white votes: instead of giving 82,21% to Chirac against 17,79% to Le Pen at the second turn, they would have rather counted a mass of left-wing "white votes" which would have put into question the whole democratic Legitimacy of the election. Under actual French legislation, nothing would have happened since abstentionists and neutral, blank, votes are Not Tallied — Chirac wasn't elected with 82,21% support from the French population, but with 82,21% support from the people who went to vote ''and'' didn't cast a neutral, white, vote; if we take out the 20,29% of abstentionists and the 5,39% of white votes, than Chirac was elected by 82% of 79,71% of the citizens (i.e. 64% of the citizens) ''minus'' the 5% of white votes (4% of the total citizens): thus, ''if the legislation took into account all the abstentionist votes and the white votes, Chirac would not have had 82,21% at the second turn, but only 61,23%'' Chirac: 82,21% of the total valid votes at the second turn, minus 5,39% of white votes; times 79,71% of voting citizens equals 61,23% of total French citizens of the votes of all French citizens — while Le Pen would only had 9,98% Le Pen: ''ibid'': 17,17% of the total valid votes at the second turn, minus 5,39% white votes; times 79,71% voting citizens equal 9,98% of the total citizens . On the other hand, almost ''a quarter of the French citizens voted neither for Chirac nor for Le Pen Neither Chirac nor Le Pen: counting the 5,39% white votes — 5,39% times 79,71% voting citizens equals 4,29% of total French citizens — and the abstentionist (non-)vote — 20,29% — a total of 24,58% — 20,29% plus 4,29% equals 24,58% and refused what they called a "pseudo-democratic choice". However, by its sheer number, they clearly would have had an impact (although none can say which one...) and would create a serious political crisis. NATIONAL PROCEDURES In the United States Congress and many other legislatures, members may vote "present" rather than for or against a bill or resolution, which has the effect of an abstention. In the United Nations Security Council , representatives of the five countries holding a Veto power (including the United States , United Kingdom , France , Russia and the People's Republic Of China ) sometimes abstain rather than vetoing a measure about which they are less than enthusiastic, particularly if the Measure otherwise has broad support; by convention their abstention does not block the measure, despite the wording of Article 27.3 of the UN Charter . If a majority of members of the United Nations General Assembly or one of its committees abstain on a measure, then the measure fails. In the Council Of The European Union , an absention on a matter decided by unanimity is in effect a ''yes'' vote; on matters decided by Qualified Majority it is in effect a ''no'' vote. ENDNOTES SEE ALSO |
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