Hong Kong’s French expats vote in presidential election, with signs most support Emmanuel Macron
Asia’s largest French expat community comprises some 20,000 nationals in city
French expatriates in Hong Kong were casting their vote from Sunday morning in the election for their country’s next president, with signs that most would be opting for liberal candidate Emmanuel Macron of En Marche over far-right Front National leader Marine Le Pen.
A steady stream of voters could be seen weathering the rain outside the French International School in Wong Ngai Chung Gap after the polls opened at 8am Sunday, with others casting their vote at the French consulate in Admiralty.
A consulate spokesman said he expected turnout to match that of the election’s first round in Hong Kong, which reached 66 per cent.
Amongst the offshore French, there is a bias towards the centre left
There are 8,160 French nationals registered to vote in Hong Kong, about 600 of whom have arranged to cast their ballots by proxy or postal vote, he said.