VOTERS in France are growing used to seeing would-be presidents spar aggressively on television. In recent months the Republican and Socialist parties each held a series of broadcast debates on prime-time television, in their respective primary campaigns. The result: the established front-runner of each party was knocked aside by insurgent candidates who better caught the mood of their audiences.
The presidential campaign has now begun in earnest, ahead of the first round on April 23rd, and the televised debates are about to show their influence again. Opinion polls indicate Marine Le Pen, of the far-right National Front, tied for first place with Emmanuel Macron, a centrist newcomer to electoral politics, with established parties trailing. Each of the two front-runners has some 26% support, enough to reach the run-off in early May. In that second round, if the polls hold, Mr Macron is expected to triumph. But whereas most of Ms Le Pen’s backers report an unshakable faith in her, Mr Macron’s support is less robust. Many who prefer the 39-year-old former economy minister are not entirely sure of their choice. Were he to stumble in a debate, or set...Continue reading
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