France welcomes the progress in the local elections in Ukraine, said on Thursday the official representative of the foreign Ministry of France Romain Nadal.

"France has taken note of the preliminary conclusions of the OSCE observer mission for Ukraine and welcomes the good conduct of voting on October 25. We encourage the continuation of efforts to organize the 2nd round of elections scheduled on fifteen November and voting in Mariupol and other cities where it is until not passed, " said Nadal.

Local elections were held in Ukraine on 25 October on a new electoral law. In small towns with population over 90 thousand people, the mayor was elected by a simple majority of votes, and in the large cities must be assigned the second round, if none of the candidates could gain more than 50% of the vote. Regional, city and district councils elected under the proportional system with open lists.

in the elections has not had the opportunity to participate blocks of political parties, the electoral threshold for parties was raised from 3% to 5%. The election will turnout. The results must be determined before November 4 and made public for five days, and in case of holding the 2nd round in the big cities - not later than November 20.

first of authorized official of the Russian foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said that Ukraine held Local elections were far from universal standards of objectivity and did not contribute to the elimination of the split in Ukrainian society.

sections: Politics