Sentence examples for rate of abstention from inspiring English sources

The rate of abstention in France was just under 57%, slightly lower than the 2009 European elections.

The rate of abstention was the lowest of all the elections in which Chavez has run since 1998.

The rate of abstention rose to a record 47 percent, up from 41 percent four years ago.

The 38% rate of abstention in the second round of the election was seen as a direct message of disillusionment with the country's ruling class.

He said the high rate of abstention showed that Mr. Sarkozy could not motivate his own base in the face of economic crisis and record unemployment.

With the highest rate of abstention France has ever seen, Mr. Chirac got 19.67 percent of the vote, Mr. Le Pen 17.02 percent and Mr. Jospin trailed with 16.07 percent.

Meanwhile, Pollsters are also predicting a record-breaking rate of abstentions.

With a similar rate of abstentions, blank or null ballots as in the first round (29%), Mr Neves must close a gap of 18m votes on top of the 35m he has racked up.

On the other hand, high rates of abstention or differential rates of abstention by different social classes are not necessarily signs of satisfaction with governmental processes and policies and in fact may indicate the contrary.

A lengthy general election campaign and an arduous finish made it inevitable that abstention this week would be high and, in Italy, high rates of abstention favour the left.In fact, turnout was even worse than anybody expected.

Indeed, Eric Bonnet, a director of opinion studies at the BVA polling institute, said such high rates of abstention historically happen "when people feel they haven't been presented with a real choice".