A series of abstentions on key votes at the United Nations has frustrated western diplomats who complain of India's apparent lack of any guiding vision.
Abstention, of the sort indulged in by almost half Britain's voters at the 2005 general election, is illegal.
The chances are that, despite the probable abstention of some 30-40 deputies on the left, Mr Valls will narrowly win the vote.
As Russia and Germany, like the other Powers, have now recognized the Portuguese Republic, the abstention of the United States is beginning to attract quite special attention.
Certainly, one wouldn't hope to begin such an effort with the abstention of the world's only superpower and largest contributor to global emissions.
The prime minister's man won, but thanks largely to the abstention of 25 PdL deputies allied to Gianfranco Fini, who had ended months of bickering by breaking with Mr Berlusconi a few days earlier.
In a desperate bid to secure the abstention of Fine Gael and Labour, the main opposition parties, on the budget vote, Mr Cowen has offered them access to the financial advice underpinning the government's proposed budget measures.
In all the years I've been travelling to the city, our plan has always been the same: to eat the best food in the city, as much as possible, with no rules (except the obvious abstention of meat).
Is it time for that deep-breath, third-party vote, or angry abstention of the sort that has tortured some Americans since they just couldn't take Hubert Humphrey over Richard Nixon? Absent from this triangular calculation is the irony of history.
As the final voting figures came in on Monday, it was clear the FN had benefited from record abstention of 38.5% of the electorate, and a protest vote against the government and UMP opposition, but also had widespread and genuine support.
