The essential :
• The two finalists in the presidential election clashed at length during the only debate between the two rounds, broadcast on TF1 and France 2, and presented by Gilles Bouleau and Léa Salamé.
• An often offensive Emmanuel Macron, regularly accusing his rival of “untruths”, a Marine Le Pen who distils her pikes, the presidential debate on Wednesday evening did not derogate from the imposed figures of such a televised duel: a few attacks and good words who hit the bull’s eye.
• Both questioned about Ukraine, candidate Macron accused his rival of “depending on Russian power” and “on Mr. Putin” for having “taken out a loan from a Russian bank”. “You talk to your banker when you talk about Russia, that’s the problem Mrs. Le Pen”, declared the candidate president, Mrs. Le Pen answering to be “patriotic […] an absolutely and totally free woman”. She accused her competitor of “an undignified posture”, deeming her attack “quite dishonest”.
11:51 p.m. – Le Pen’s conclusion addressed “to the people”
Marine Le Pen, in turn, concludes the debate, addressing “the people”. A people who, despite the crises, aspire according to the candidate “to common sense”: on globalization, security, the social system… She wishes “to defend what makes up the soul of France: our traditions, our values, our tongue”. “This project is viable, it is in any case vital.”
11:45 p.m. – Macron, an election “for or against what we are deeply”
During his carte blanche, Emmanuel Macron was the first to conclude this less bumpy debate than in 2017 by first thanking Marine Le Pen. “I respect you as a person.” The President of the Republic then mentioned the subjects of disability, equality between men and women, such as that of the overseas territories, regretting that he could not dwell on them. For the Head of State, this election “will be a referendum for or against what we are deeply”. He then concluded by announcing that the subject of child protection would be at the heart of the next five-year term.
11:43 p.m. – How to resolve the democratic crisis?
Emmanuel Macron says he hears criticism for not having held a referendum, but recalls that “half of the mandate was done under crises”. “On important reforms, I think that the referendum must be an option”, affirms the outgoing president, who wishes to “renovate democratic life”. Recognizing a failure on the five-year proportional system in the Assembly, he says he is still in favor of it, like Marine Le Pen for that matter. “From major debates to citizens’ conventions, I have tried several things over this five-year term.”
The RN candidate wants “a democratic renaissance” with an Assembly that would have more power, and the implementation of the citizens’ initiative referendum, propelled by the Yellow Vests. “The biggest problem at the end of this five-year term is the disunity, the feeling of contempt, of not being heard.” She accuses the outgoing president of having “mistreated the French with words”, often “violent”. “We must sew up French democracy.” This will go through a constitutional revision.
11:40 p.m. – Immigration in connection with the war in Ukraine
On immigration, Emmanuel Macron wanted to warn: “Let’s be clear and transparent with our compatriots, we will have to welcome many Ukrainians and Ukrainians”, while calling for “more effective protection of our borders”. On the referendum proposed by Marine Le Pen on the subject, “French law and a few referenda will not change anything, the cooperation of the countries of origin is needed” and to add “even with a referendum, you will not take the people in a country that is not yours”, explained the Head of State.
11:33 p.m. – “Macron is slouched, strange, angry…”
While the end of this debate is approaching, within the staffs, we are already learning the first lessons from the presidential duel: “It remains bad on the merits even if more at ease on the form. The president was a little far on its Russian loan, even if overall, it dominates without it collapsing”, reports relatives of the President of the Republic. Sébastien Chenu, spokesperson for the National Rally and deputy, believes for his part: “Incredible! Macron is slumped, strange, angry… She is concrete and calm and makes proposals. Nothing to do with 2017.”
11:30 p.m. – “Your law on separatism has been useless”, denounces Le Pen
“You are pushing millions of our compatriots, through their religion, out of the public space”, accuses Emmanuel Macron, bouncing on the ban on the veil advocated by Marine Le Pen. And the outgoing president defends his record: dissolution of associations, closures of radical mosques… But above all his law on separatism. “Your law was useless!” retorts its competitor.
11:24 p.m. – Le Pen will “create civil war in the cities”, accuses Macron
On secularism, Marine Le Pen wants to “fight against Islamism”, and wants to close the “radical” mosques. “We are not firm enough on this subject, because the government does not take the measure of the seriousness of Islamism.” Prohibit the wearing of the veil in public space? Yes, for the RN candidate, who describes it as an “act of submission”, “not admissible in our country” and wants to “liberate women”. Emmanuel Macron accuses him of “confusing all the problems”, putting veil, terrorism, Islamism on the same level. “There will be no ban on the veil or the yarmulke in public spaces. I am for the law of 1905. Secularism is not fighting a religion.” For the outgoing president, Marine Le Pen would create, with her measure, “civil war in the cities”.
11:19 p.m. – Macron tackles Le Pen
Small skirmish between the two candidates between two subjects. “You are much more disciplined than five years ago”, tackles Emmanuel Macron against Marine Le Pen. “We see that we are aging,” smiles the RN candidate.
11:17 p.m. – The security issue
On the central theme – and one of the last of this debate – of security, Marine Le Pen called for the construction of 25,000 additional prison places as well as an end to the adjustment of sentences. “We can no longer accept in our country that for a yes or for a no, we hurt you, we violate you”, denounced the candidate of the National Rally, castigating the insecurity and the violence against people. For his part, Emmanuel Macron repeated that he had “kept his commitments” by mentioning the creation of 10,000 additional police stations as well as the increase in the means of justice by 30% over the last two years. “I have a sense of command,” insisted the head of state.
11:02 p.m. – The increase in teachers in question
On teachers’ salaries, Emmanuel Macron promises that “there will be no career start below 2,000 euros”. “You had already promised it in 2017”, mocks Marine Le Pen, who wants to increase teachers by 3% per year.
11:00 p.m. – Reactions in surroundings
In the entourage of the two suitors who follow the debate with attention, the comments on the services of their respective candidate are going well. At Marine Le Pen’s HQ, we are confident after the missed opportunity of 2017: “She is doing exactly the debate she wanted to do. Calm, empathy, concrete proposals in the face of an excited person. Faced with the scandalous Russian trap, she has managed with skill. Macron is worse than expected.” While in the close entourage of Emmanuel Macron, we congratulate ourselves while spinning the warlike metaphor: “I think the thing was played out at the start. She was supposed to knock him out on the purchasing power which is his theme. fetish but, in the end, it was he who dismantled her VAT project which she failed to defend. Since then, she has been subjected to the debate.