introduction 1) Abention is a complex phenomenon. It has multiple and different meanings in different situations: 8.7 % in French-speaking Belgium, 17.3 % in neDut-speaking Belgium. 47 % in Denmark, 45.39 % in France, 33 % in Greece; 52.45 % in Ireland, 16.1 % in Italy, 13 % in Luxembourg, 49.48 % in the Netherlands, 43.2 % in the Federal Republic of Germany, 67.6 % in Great Britain (but only 35 % in Northern Ireland). However, voting is compulsory throughout the B...