The Republicans party candidate Francois Fillon, National Front party leader Marine Le Pen, independent Emmanuel Macron, Socialist Party nominee Benoit Hamon and the leader of the left-wing political movement La France Insoumise (Unsubmissive France), Jean-Luc Melenchon, stressed that non-participation of the other candidates raised questions of democracy.
"I think the opinion polls are very interesting for commentators but under this rule, I would not have been able to participate in the primaries of the right and the center," Fillon, who emerged as a leader of The Republicans Party primaries after a polished performance in the TV debates in November, said opening the debates.
CLASHES AND FIREWORKS
The politically diverse candidates, who were brought together for a battle that lasted over three and half hours, started with formal presentations that were followed by some intense exchanges.
The candidates clashed during vigorous discussions on the most pressing issues such as terrorism, secularism, immigration and foreign policy.
Originally, the debate was broken into three sections including the social model for France, compromising of education, health issues and welfare, economic questions and the role of France in the world.
"It is a national sport in France to criticize politics by accusing it to be a very-low level. However, I have to admit that we had yesterday evening an interesting debate, where candidates had real opportunity to explain their views and present their program," Aymeric Chauprade, a member of the European Parliament from France, told Sputnik on Tuesday.
FRESH FACE IN FRENCH POLITICS
Independent Emanuel Macron, a one-time banker and a former minister of economy, who is running for president for the first time and who continues to rally support thanks to his rivals' missteps, had the most to lose from the live debates. He was expected to receive punches not only because of being one of the frontrunners and a "fresh face" but also because he positions himself as neither belonging to the right nor the left of the political spectrum.
Far-right populist Le Pen, referring to the "En Marche!" leader’s lack of experience and political program, attacked Macron for "speaking for seven minutes without actually saying anything."
Nicilas Dhuicq, who is a member of The Republicans party, agreed, telling Sputnik that, "Fillon was the most convincing but the media in France is pro-Macron, because he is a fresh face and he is pro-left. He is trying to present himself as something new and modern but, in fact, his speech was totally void of any real or clear ideas. He was like a good student during the debates, who learned that in order to succeed, he needs to repeat other candidates’ ideas."
The independent candidate also reacted vigorously when Le Pen accused him of being in favor of burkinis, a full-body swimsuit worn by Muslim women on the beach, which were locally banned by several mayors in France last summer.
"The burkini is a public order problem. Do not use it to divide the French," he said, pointing out that Le Pen’s ideas to ban burkinis are dangerous for transforming "the over four million French people, whose religion is Islam… into enemies of the Republic."
Speaking two days after a man was shot and killed at Paris Orly Airport after seizing a soldier’s weapon, the security situation in France was in the center of heated debates. Macron, for his part, continued to defend the European agenda, saying that France should welcome migrants and asylum seekers, who flee war in their countries, but stressed, however, that Europe needs to strengthen its borders.
The presidential hopefuls also clashed over France’s foreign policy goals and its role in the world’s politics.
Macron said that France should not move closer to Russia and needs more independence in its foreign policy. "We have a long story with the United States. Together we have been building peace on the planet … Today I would like to offer more independence. Not to move closer to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin," Macron said during the debate.
Overall, Chauprade stressed, Macron failed to stamp his authority during the show, as "he appeared as being too young for the highest responsibilities."
According to the Elabe poll, however, Macron was seen as the most persuasive, followed by Melenchon, Le Pen and Fillon.
MISSED OPPORTUNITY FOR LE PEN
A lot was also at stake for 49-year-old National Front candidate Le Pen, who traditionally focuses on the anti-euro, French values and anti-immigration messages and who is projected to make the May 7 run-off. The direct debates were a chance for Le Pen to soften her image, and rally center voters, while keeping her core far-right supporters.
According to Chauprade, the National Front leader, however, missed this opportunity. "She was not constructive and was only confronting the opponents with irony and not the facts," he said.
During the debate Le Pen was caught in the crossfire, especially, over her hardline stance on Islam and plans to pull France out of the euro.
Macron, in his turn, accused Le Pen of using Islam to divide the French, while far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon slammed Le Pen for an attempt to establish "clothing police in France." The National Front candidate wants all visible religious symbols worn by people, including Muslim headscarves and Jewish kippahs, banned from public.
According to Dhuicq, Le Pen’s performance was weak as she "was only trying to defend some simple ideas in order to maintain voters around her."
The French lawmakers agreed that as the result of the debates Le Pen may lose some supporters, as more and more people may also doubt Macron’s capabilities to be the next head of state.
BEST ECONOMIC RECOVERY PROGRAM FOR FRANCE
For Fillon, the one-time front-runner whose position was damaged by a formal investigation in connection with his wife's former job as his parliamentary aide, the TV debates were a chance for a post-scandal boost.
According to Dhuicq, Fillon’s performance was most impressive in the economic section of the debates.
Fillon, France's former prime minister, who gained support of the electorate in rural regions, where people are attached to national identity and family values, by promising to cut red tape for small and medium businesses, relax job market regulations and focus on traditional social policies, on Monday defended civil-service jobs’ and public spending’s cuts.
He criticized the idea of a 35-hour work week, proposed by Socialist candidate Hamon, which, according to Fillon, was already too short, noting that "employees must be able to negotiate hours with employers on a company-by-company basis. Give companies the freedom… to organize themselves."
Fillon insisted that France needs a real change of politics stressing that, "I’m the only one who could have a stable majority to deliver it. I may have committed a few errors, who hasn’t. But I have experience, and the will to do this."
The wife fake job scandal, which has dominated Fillon’s campaign for weeks, occupied relatively little time in the debates. When asked how to restore a sense of morality in public life, Fillon replied by proposing to set up a commission to improve transparency and guarantee good conduct.
"Fillon gives an impression of a man experienced in ruling the state, with a very serious program. France needs reforms and a leader, who will implement these reforms. For me, it is absolutely clear that Fillon is the man for the job," Chauprade stated.
SOCIAL MEDIA’S FAVORITE
As for the two leftist candidates, Hamon and Melenchon, recent polls predict that the French political left has zero chance of making it to the second round of the election.
"Of course I am very far from Melenchon’s views but I have to admit that he did a really good job in this debate," Chauprade stressed.
During the debate, Melenchon said that, if elected, he would change the constitution and be the last president of the Fifth Republic.
"I would be the last president of the Fifth Republic because, if I am elected, I will convene an assembly to prepare a new constitution, it will be the end of the presidential monarchy," he said, adding that he would propose France’s withdrawal from NATO as he was "concerned about the increasing number of wars" around the world.
According to the snap poll of TV viewers after the debates, on the other hand, Hamon, former minister of education, was found to be the least convincing.
The first round of the French presidential election is scheduled for April 23, while the run-off is set for May 7.
