Yahoo News The race against the clock to organise France's snap elections
When President Emmanuel Macron unexpectedly triggered parliamentary elections earlier this month, he left officials just 20 days to organise a first round of voting. From printing ballots to fitting around summer holiday plans, the breakneck campaign poses a massive logistical challenge.
Louis Guerrero, director of the Jasson Taboureau printing company in Ecquevilly, west of Paris, began getting calls as soon as Macron announced the polls two weeks ago.
It was a Sunday evening, but that did not stop candidates inquiring how soon the company could have their campaign materials ready.
"The first difficulty was getting enough paper for the documents," Guerrero says.
"The biggest difficulty was the time we have to print them all. It's the first time we've had less than 48 hours."
French election rules mean that candidates' campaign flyers must first go to local authorities, who check the material and prepare it to be mailed out.
They had to receive it by the evening of 18 June, 48 hours after the deadline for candidates to register and 24 hours after the campaign officially kicked off.
Round the clock
Guerrero's printing presses were turning non-stop to produce ballot papers.
With the presses running through the night, even the company's accountant had been called in to pack freshly cut papers into boxes.
Read more on RFI English
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