The local elections take place in France on 9th March, and whilst Brits have the right to vote, few seem to have taken up the opportunity to do so.

Estimates vary on the number of British expats who live in France, but even conservative estimates put it at around 225,000.

However, according to figures produced by the French Ministry of Interior, only 21,291 have placed their name on the register of electors to vote.

In total, around 200,000 Europeans living in France have registered to vote. Chief amongst them are a contingent of 63,385 Portuguese, 22,688 from Belgium, and 20,126 from Spain.

As the local elections take place in France only every six years, those who missed out this time around will have to wait until 2014 before there will be another opportunity to participate in the local democratic process.

In order to vote in the elections this month, potential voters needed to have registered their name on the electoral register by 31 Dec 07. Registration takes place at the local mairie (town hall).

Indeed, it is apparent from our own enquiries to expats as part of the research for this article that the right to vote is not widely known. Over half of those we contacted in a telephone poll did not know they had the right to vote.

Local elections are a generally quite affair in rural France, as there is very little open campaigning or publicity that takes place. Unless you were a regular viewer of French television, or you read the French press, it is unlikely you would know about the elections.

Not only are European citizens allowed to vote in the local elections, but they are also allowed to stand for election as a councillor (although they cannot become a mayor, or one of their deputies). In 2001 around 1000 Europeans took up the challenge, and several hundred of them were returned duly elected, including around a couple of dozen Brits.

In the British fiefdom of ‘Dordogneshire’, this year no less than five Brits are on the list for election in the village of Eymet. Around 200 British families live in this village of 2500 residents. However, of the 1600 people who are on the register of electors in Eymet, only 42 Brits have signed up to vote in the elections, five of whom will unquestionably be candidates in the election!