Early evening French presidential election turnout lower than on past three occasions

People wait in line to vote in the second round of 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Lyon, France, May 7, 2017. REUTERS/Robert Pratta

PARIS (Reuters) - Turnout figures for the second round of the French presidential election showed a 65.30 percent participation rate by around 1700 local time (1500 GMT), the Interior Ministry said on Sunday, confirming earlier reports.

That level was lower than at the same stage of polling day in the past three presidential elections.

Those participation rate figures compared with a turnout of around 72 percent at the same time in 2012, a 75.1 percent turnout in 2007, and a 67.6 percent turnout in 2002.

Voter surveys show that it is unclear what the turnout rate could mean for the outcome.

(Reporting by Sybille de la Hamaide; Writing by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Andrew Callus)