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France’s Macron defies coronavirus lockdown with elections NewsColony Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption French President Macron: “[Scientists] think nothing stands in the way of the French going to the polls” Elections are usually risky for leaders, not for voters. But France’s local elections this weekend have raised fears of a health crisis, not just a political one. There has been feverish speculation here about whether holding the poll during an epidemic would be sensible. The government has banned gatherings of more than 100 people, shut schools and universities and suspended big sporting events. But despite labelling coronavirus France’s “biggest health crisis in a century”, President Emmanuel Macron confirmed this week that Sunday’s vote would go ahead. In the tiny town of Lamorlaye, an hour’s drive north of Paris, mayor Nicolas Moula is upbeat. “Information is the number one key,” he says, opening the door to the polling station, in a low m...