Proposals for a bill that would legalize cyber-elections are likely to face widespread resistance.

A bill that would legalize cyber-elections in France has been proposed by a deputy in the National Assembly. Alain Ferry, a deputy from the Bas-Rhin region, has filed a proposition for a law with the National Assembly that would authorize Internet-based voting from home, said a spokeswoman for the deputy. But the proposed bill, which would have to be approved by both the National Assembly and the Senate before it could become law, leaves many facets open to discussion. Ferry told the AFP that should the law be adopted, lawmakers would have to decide on the conditions of its application, putting in place measures to make sure anonymity, security and secrecy concerns are addressed. Ferry claims the low turnout in France's recent municipal elections proves that new methods need to be explored in order to encourage voter participation. He is well aware of the particular security risks associated with collecting ballots online, however, and said the law would only be implemented after careful consideration. Ferry said in the AFP report: "E-voting, which will make the civic act of voting simpler and will encourage younger voters to participate, will certainly be put through many test trials and could be used for local elections in the first instance." But Ferry's bill may not get far. Online voting has faced widespread resistance in France, with most politicians finding the security risks too great. U.S. company Election.com has led two experimental cyber-elections in France, and Deputy Andre Santini from Issy-les-Moulineaux has been a vocal proponent of online voting. However, most politicians are still wary. A recent survey of French senators and deputies conducted by the Internet Society France found that just 4 percent of elected officials believe the Internet should be used for online voting. Aside from questions of network security, some politicians have pointed out that online voting could call the concept of privacy into question. Others are willing to accept online voting in some circumstances, but only if the voters are supervised. "It's not sufficient just to say that online voting is OK for everyone," said Senator Michel Caldagues. It could be useful in a controlled environment for those that aren't mobile, such as in a rest home, he added.