The televised debate, on Wednesday, April 20, four days before the second round was not at all soporific as some feared. The exchanges were lively. The president, on the offensive, has often blown his opponent.
A handshake, a false start by Marine Le Pen, and two and a half hours of fighting. The two candidates for the presidency of the Republic had lively exchanges on the substance – although more polite on the form. Emmanuel Macron remarked that the debate was “more disciplined” than five years ago, to the approval of his opponent.
The economy, energy prices, Europe, global warming, schools… With a lot of figures – on which they systematically opposed each other – and many verbal jabs, the two presidential finalists confronted their projects, very divergent, on many subjects.
Some had predicted a debate with a taste of herbal tea. Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen having each more to lose than to gain four days before the second round of a presidential election that remains uncertain, both would have wisely stayed at the back of the court not to take the risk of a risky flight. It was not the case.
The two presidential finalists did not spare each other. Not at all. And in the confrontation, it is the outgoing president, largely dominant on the substance, who has shown himself to be the most biting, regularly putting, as in 2017, his opponent in difficulty. Avoiding total humiliation as five years ago but without often stopping himself from lecturing him again.
French President Emmanuel Macron accused Wednesday his far-right rival Marine Le Pen of being under the sway of Russian President Vladimir Putin over a years-old Russian bank loan granted to his party, during a heated televised debate before Sunday’s election. Marine Le Pen expressed support for “free Ukraine”, aid to Kiev and sanctions against Russia – on the latter point, however, she opposes the blocking of Russian gas and oil imports.
“I want to give back their money to the French,” said Ms. Le Pen as she unfolded her proposals on purchasing power in the face of her opponent who defended his record. In particular, she mentioned a “permanent” reduction in taxation (such as VAT on energy or on basic necessities), unlike the provisional measures put in place by the government (such as the energy cheque or the tariff shield).
