Clean air and quiet streets - virus lockdown gave France's Greens election boost

FILE PHOTO: An aerial view shows the deserted Eiffel tower in Paris during a lockdown imposed to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in France, April 1, 2020. Picture taken with a drone April 1, 2020. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol/File Photo

LYON, France (Reuters) - The coronavirus lockdown persuaded retired speech therapist Anne-Marie Arnaud a better future could be had, one with emptier skies, fresher air and quieter streets rid of diesel-belching cars.

And so the pensioner from Lyon switched her vote in last Sunday's municipal election, among the first worldwide to be held after countries began emerging from lockdown, in favour of the Green party.