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French Expression of the Day: Réservoir de voix

The Local France
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French Expression of the Day: Réservoir de voix
Photo: Annie Spratt/Unsplash/Nicolas Raymond

This French expression is particularly useful to know around election time.

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Why do I need to know réservoir de voix? 

Because every five years, whoever has the biggest one has the potential to shape the future of France. 

What does it mean? 

A réservoir des voix, pronounced reservoir day vwah, literally translates as reservoir of votes.

It refers to the number of people that a politician can count on voting for them. 

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In France, many elections (including presidential and legislative) have a two-round voting system, whereby the top two polling candidates from the first round face off in a second one, with one candidate eventually winning an absolute majority. 

In these elections, a réservoir des voix typically refers to the number of people who will not vote for a particular candidate in the first round but will almost certainly back them in the second, as a back-up choice or simply the lesser of two evils. 

Use it like this 

Marine Le Pen a un réservoir de voix supérieur à 2017 grâce à la candidature d'Eric Zemmour - Marine Le Pen has a bigger reservoir of votes than in 2017 thanks to the candidacy of Éric Zemmour 

Elle semble disposer d'un réservoir de voix plus important cette année - She seems to have a bigger reservoir of votes this year

Emmanuel Macron peut également compter sur un réservoir de voix - Emmanuel Macron can also rely on a reservoir of votes 

Related expressions 

Some candidates can count on a reservoir of votes because of a front populaire, front républicain

Both of these phrases refer to the idea that a voter can support someone in the second round even if the candidate was not their initial preference. Generally in France, this refers to the idea of keeping a far-right candidate out of power. 

A front populaire or front républicain often refers to the idea of supporting a candidate in the second round of an election. 

Le front populaire a battu le candidat d'extrême droite - The popular front defeated the far-right candidate 

Le front républicain sera avec nous - The republican front will back us 

A vote utile meanwhile is a term that is used frequently in reference to both first and second round voting. 

Il joue la carte du vote utile pour se rapprocher d’un éventuel deuxième tour- He is playing the useful vote card to make it to the second round 

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