Voting from Paraguay: French elections, registration, and procedures for 2026
You live in Asunción, and France is voting. Presidential, legislative, referendum, European elections. You are French, you have the right to vote, and you want to exercise it. But how? Do you have to fly to Paris? Can you vote online from your Villa Morra living room? How does proxy voting work? And most importantly, which elections are accessible to French citizens in Paraguay, and which are not? This guide covers everything a French expatriate in Paraguay needs to know to vote: registration, procedures, accessible elections, electronic voting, proxy voting, and optimal registration strategy.
Voting from abroad is a constitutional right: Article 3 of the French Constitution stipulates that suffrage is always universal. French citizens abroad have dedicated parliamentary representation, 11 deputies and 12 senators, and a consular network that organizes elections in over 200 countries. In Paraguay, the polling station is at the French consulate in Asunción, and for some elections, you vote from your computer without leaving your home.
Voter Registration: The Prerequisite
The Consular Electoral Roll (LEC)
To vote from Paraguay, you must be registered on the Consular Electoral Roll of the French consulate in Asunción:
- What is the LEC? It is the electoral roll for French citizens residing in the consular district, which is Paraguay for the Asunción consulate. It is the equivalent of the municipal roll in France, managed by the consulate instead of the town hall. Any adult French citizen residing in Paraguay can register.
- Conditions: Be French, of legal age, enjoy civil rights, and reside in Paraguay. A cédula is not necessary: a French passport and proof of residence in Paraguay are sufficient.
- Procedure: Online at service-public.fr, under the electoral roll registration section, or directly at the consulate. Documents: French ID and proof of residence, such as a bill, lease, or residency certificate. Registration is free.
- Link with the consular register: If you are already registered in the register of French citizens established outside France, which is recommended (see our guide to French civic obligations), registration on the LEC is simplified as data is shared. Both registrations can be done simultaneously.
- Deadline: Registration must be completed no later than the sixth Friday before the election, approximately six weeks before the election. Outside of election periods, it is possible all year round. Our advice: register as soon as you settle in Paraguay, without waiting for an election to be announced.
The Strategic Question: LEC Only or Double Registration?
Two registration options are available to you:
| Option | Description | Accessible Elections | Advantage | Disadvantage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Option 1: LEC only | Registration only on the Consular Electoral Roll in Asunción, without registration in a French municipality. | Presidential, legislative for French citizens abroad, referendum, European, consular elections. | No risk of jury duty summons. Simple, one polling place, no possible confusion. | No voting in municipal, departmental, and regional elections. |
| Option 2: double registration (LEC + municipality) | Registration on the LEC and on the roll of a French municipality, using the address of a property you own or a relative, if you meet the conditions. | All elections, including municipal, departmental, and regional in the French municipality. | Full access, useful if you own property in France and want to influence local politics. | Risk of jury duty summons (exemption possible but requires action), risk of accidental double voting, a criminal offense, and two registrations to manage. |
Important rule for double registration: you choose where you vote for each election. Presidential, referendum, and European elections: at the consulate or in your municipality, never both. Legislative elections: you vote for the deputies of French citizens abroad at the consulate, a separate election from that of your municipality. Voting twice in the same election is a criminal offense, Article L92 of the Electoral Code, punishable by 2 years in prison and a €15,000 fine.
Our recommendation: for the majority of expatriates in Paraguay, LEC only is the simplest and most logical option. You vote in national elections, which truly impact your life, taxation, foreign policy, and international regulations. French local elections have little impact on your daily life in Asunción, unless you have a particular attachment to a municipality.
Elections Accessible from Paraguay
The Presidential Election
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Every 5 years, next in 2027 |
| Voting method | In person at the French consulate in Asunción, or by proxy. |
| Electronic voting | Not available for the presidential election: physical voting only, at the consulate or by proxy. |
| Rounds | Two rounds two weeks apart. French citizens abroad vote on Saturday, one day before metropolitan France, to account for time zones. |
| Hours | Typically 8am-6pm local time at the Asunción consulate. Check exact times before each election. |
| Required document | French identity document, passport or CNI, accepted even if expired for less than 5 years. Voter card is useful but not mandatory. |
Legislative Elections, Deputies for French Citizens Abroad
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Every 5 years, aligned with the presidential term, or in case of dissolution. Next: 2027. |
| Constituency | Paraguay falls under the 2nd constituency for French citizens established outside France, which covers Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. You vote for the deputy of this constituency, not for a metropolitan deputy. |
| Voting method | In person at the consulate, by proxy, or online. |
| Electronic voting | Yes. You vote from your computer or smartphone via the secure platform of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which opens several days before the physical election. The most practical method from Paraguay. |
| Rounds | Two rounds, single-member majority vote, voting on Saturday. |
Referendum
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Variable, at the initiative of the President of the Republic. The last one in France was in 2005. |
| Voting method | In person at the consulate or by proxy. |
| Electronic voting | Possible if the decree organizing the referendum provides for it, varies depending on the elections. |
European Elections
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Every 5 years, next in 2029. |
| Voting method | In person at the consulate or by proxy, for French lists. |
| Electronic voting | Not generally available, unless specifically decided by the government. |
| Specificity | Proportional list vote, single round, voting on Saturday for French citizens abroad. |
Consular Elections
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Every 6 years, next in 2027. |
| What is it about? | The election of councillors for French citizens abroad, the local representatives of the community, equivalent to municipal councillors for expatriates. They sit on the consular council, handling school scholarships, social aid, consular protection, and participate in the election of senators for French citizens abroad. |
| Voting method | In person at the consulate, by proxy, or online. |
| Electronic voting | Yes, on the same platform as legislative elections. |
| Why it's important | Councillors are your local contacts: they understand the issues faced by French citizens in Paraguay, such as schooling, safety, and social assistance, and are often accessible and responsive. This election has the most direct impact on your daily life. |
Summary of Elections and Procedures
| Election | Vote at consulate | Proxy | Electronic vote | Double registration required? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presidential | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | No, LEC is sufficient |
| Legislative (French citizens abroad) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | No, LEC is sufficient |
| Referendum | ✅ | ✅ | Variable | No, LEC is sufficient |
| European | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ generally | No, LEC is sufficient |
| Consular | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | No, LEC is sufficient |
| Municipal | ❌ (vote in municipality) | ✅ (proxy in municipality) | ❌ | Yes, municipal registration required |
| Departmental | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | Yes |
| Regional | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | Yes |
Electronic Voting: The Most Convenient Method
How it works
Online voting is available for legislative elections for French citizens abroad and consular elections, the two elections specific to expatriates:
- The platform: The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs deploys a secure platform for each election. The address is communicated by the consulate (email, SMS, or mail) to voters registered on the LEC. It works in any browser, computer, tablet, or smartphone, without needing to install an application.
- Identification: A personal identifier transmitted by the consulate, plus a security code received via SMS or email, enabling two-factor authentication. The system guarantees anonymity: it knows who voted, but never for whom, as identity and ballot are separated.
- Voting period: Online voting opens several days before the physical election, typically from Wednesday to Friday preceding the Saturday of voting at the consulate. This provides a comfortable window, without a rush against the clock.
- Procedure: Connection, identification, selection of candidate or list, confirmation, registration. Five minutes in total, with confirmation that your vote has been recorded.
- Security: The system is audited by cybersecurity experts and supervised by the CNIL; votes are encrypted, and the counting is verified. Electronic voting still has its detractors, as the theoretical risks of hacking do not exist with paper ballots, but it has been used without major incident in the 2021 consular and 2022 legislative elections.
Advantages and Limitations
| Advantage | Limitation |
|---|---|
| You vote from home, without having to travel to the consulate. | Available only for legislative and consular elections, not for presidential, European, or referendum elections. |
| Several-day voting window, flexible. | Requires a reliable internet connection: if disconnected during voting, you must start over. |
| Automatic counting, rapid results. | Some voters prefer the guarantee of a paper ballot. |
| Especially useful far from Asunción, in Ciudad del Este or Encarnación. | Lost login details: recovery procedure via the consulate. |
Proxy Voting: Voting Without Traveling
How Proxy Voting Works
- Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
- Opens in a new window.