In the first and last debate before the second round of France's presidential election, Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen fought a "battle" to win the crucial vote of undecided voters.
For the two gladiators, yesterday's (20/4) telecombat was a prime opportunity to develop their programme in order to show who deserves to be the next occupant of the Elysée.
Starting the telecombat, Macron and Le Pen were asked to answer what they would do in their five-year term if elected. For his part, Emmanuel Macron pledged that "under my presidency, France will be stronger," while for her part, Marine Le Pen promised to be "the president of everyday French people."
Macron: "Under my presidency, France will be stronger."
[/P]"Under my presidency, France will be stronger" was Emmanuel Macron's pledge. At the same time he pointed out that as long as he has been president he has tried to make the right choices. I believe that we can, and indeed we can, make the country stronger and more independent through our economy and our culture and improve the daily life of all citizens. He also said that France will become stronger if it addresses the problems of the environmental crisis, and that it is important to strengthen Europe.
In fact, he began his statement by recalling the crises that France has had to face in the last five years, such as the pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
"We can make our country stronger," he said. "We have to improve the living standards of the French. France will be stronger if it can embrace the transition to a green economy," Macron added, appealing for the first time in tonight's debate to left-wing voters who backed Mélenchon on his ambitious green platform.
He also appeared proud of the way unemployment has been tackled during his presidency. "We were able to add 1.2 million people to the payroll," he said, citing a reduction in unemployment to its lowest level in more than a decade.
Le Pen: 'President of the everyday life of the French'
For her part, Le Pen promised to be "the president of the everyday life of the French". "I will be president for everyone, president for the harmony restored among the French, of social peace," she added. Notably, Le Pen began her statement by launching her arrows at Macron, saying that "in the last five years I have seen the people of France afraid and worried about the future. Tonight I want to tell them that another choice is possible," she claimed. "I will be the president of liberty, sovereignty and security."
Then accusing Emmanuel Macron of vertically cutting benefits, she promised to go ahead with cutting VAT on energy from 20% to 5.5% and exempting those under 30 from income tax. "I will give the French back their money," she said, adding that her plans would boost household income by 150 to 200 euros a month. She was even quick to blame her opponent, saying that her proposed economic measures are ineffective.
The debate then turned to the purchasing power of French citizens. For her part, Marine Le Pen said that the French have lost purchasing power in the last five years.
"You made some choices, the fuel tax. I want purchasing power to be a priority issue in the next five years, through tax cuts, like on energy (gas, electricity, oil). This 12 million will be returned to the French. But I will also give them purchasing power and I want to support the value of labour. I will return 150-200 euros a month to each family."
Furthermore, the leader of the far-right front pointed out that she wants to be the "representative" of the people of France and increase their purchasing power. "I will give the French people their money back," she added.
"Mrs Le Pen gave numbers I don't agree with. I totally agree that some people can't make it through the month," he said.
Furthermore, he pointed out that there is nothing about unemployment in Le Pen's platform, and this is a problem, as tackling unemployment is one of the main ways to tackle the problem.
The fake Macron-Le Pen telethon could not have missed the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Emmanuel Macron said Russia is stepping up its offensive in the east, in Donbass and Mariupol, and there will be a humanitarian disaster, as there already is. Europe must support Ukraine with economic as well as military equipment and by hosting refugees. France's role is Europe's role, I am Macron. The path that Russia has chosen is sad, he added.
Le Pen then expressed solidarity with the Ukrainian people and called Russia's invasion of Ukraine "unacceptable."
Le Pen then expressed solidarity with the Ukrainian people and called Russia's invasion of Ukraine "unacceptable. "Clearly we must support Ukraine, with humanitarian, economic and defensive aid," she argued.
She then noted that she was in agreement with the sanctions on Russian oligarchs and banks, and reiterated her disagreement with the blockade of oil and gas imports. She said that doing so would greatly affect the people of France, with disastrous consequences.
She even said that sending defensive military equipment to the troubled Ukraine required careful steps. At the same time she expressed the fear that Russia in the future will become a close ally with China and together they will form a superpower in both economic and military terms.
According to Le Pen there will be a serious risk for France and Europe.
According to Le Pen there will be a serious risk for France and Europe. "We should not solve today's problems by harming our future," she said."
"Slaughter" over the loan Le Pen took from a Russian bank
The debate was not short of skirmishes as Macron took aim at his running mate, saying her interests were shared with Moscow's associates. At the same time, he also referred to the loan taken by Le Pen from a Russian bank. The far-right leader did not let Macron's arrows go unanswered.
She said she took a loan from abroad as no French bank wanted to grant her a loan and added that she is a free woman fighting for her country. She even made it clear that she has no ties with Moscow, commenting that the person who was talking to Vladimir Putin was Emmanuel Macron.
In response, Macron said he welcomed her as a head of state and as a banker. Other candidates also sought and found financing from a French bank, Macron said, citing Le Pen's choice to borrow from a Russian bank. He even added that neither he nor his fellow citizens cross the threshold of Russian banks to get loans.
Referring to European issues, he said he wants to reform the functioning of the European Union. "There is a whole series of policies about which I say to myself: why does France fail to defend its interests? () I have never seen French leaders defending the interests of the French," Le Pen said."
The outgoing president criticized Le Pen "for not calling a spade a spade" and that by talking about a Europe of nations, he meant France's exit from Europe.
"Intolerable injustice" retirement at 65 says Le Pen What Macron said in response
Marine Le Pen called the retirement at 65 that Emmanuel Macron wants "intolerable injustice", saying that if elected, French people would be able to leave work at an age "to preserve this treasure that is the French pension system".
Le Pen criticised Macron for the 85 billion euro trade deficit and the decline in productivity in France, and argued for the need for "economic patriotism".
As for the coronet crisis, Le Pen said she would have offered help with state equity to companies, "that is 1,500 euros per company, more than 1,000 euros per worker."
"I disagreed with you after the first incarceration, you continued the curfew, you continued to close businesses," Le Pen said."
"I disagreed with you after the first incarceration, you continued the curfew, you continued to close businesses," Le Pen said.
"I don't have the toughness to discuss with you the Covid crisis," Emmanuel Macron replied ironically, recalling Marine Le Pen's positions on Sputnik vaccines, produced in Russia, and saying he was "proud" of the way the pandemic was handled.
"Climate scepticism" Macron accused Le Pen who accused him of "climate hypocrisy"
Emmanuel Macron denounced the lack of "coherence" in Marine Le Pen's programme, saying the promised tax cut on hydrocarbons would increase imports and pollution. "Your program has neither head nor tail," Macron said, reiterating that he wants to appoint a prime minister in charge of ecological planning, assisted by two ministers in charge of energy and spatial planning.
For her part, Le Pen decried the punitive ecology she said the outgoing president embodies, which she said is violent to the middle and lower classes. "This punitive ecology is useless," Le Pen said, noting that many renewable energy sources are inefficient because they are intermittent (wind and solar power cannot produce electricity continuously).
Emmanuel Macron accused Le Pen of an "exclusively nuclear strategy" while he said he wants to make "simultaneous" investments in nuclear energy as well as renewable energy.
Huge difference of opinion on immigration and the so-called "headscarf" issue
Marine Le Pen said she wants to "solve the problem of anarchic and mass immigration" and, to this end, will organise a referendum on immigration in France.
She also called for more stability on the part of the state and supported "the presumption of legitimate defence" for the French police.
Emmanuel Macron countered that he has "kept his commitments" on security, explaining that he has created 10,000 police posts and increased the justice budget by 30% in the last two years.
The outgoing French head of state also claimed to have increased the means and collective organisation to combat femicide, citing help and listening lines, the creation of protection arms to remove abusive husbands, and the training of police and gendarmerie officers in sexism and sexual violence.
"Civil war"
On the so-called issue of the "headscarf", Marine Le Pen was in favour of banning it in public places.
"I am in favour of banning the headscarf in public because I believe it is a uniform imposed by Islamists", Marine Le Pen made it clear.
Emmanuel Macron strongly criticized her, saying that if Marine Le Pen implements what she says, she will "cause a civil war" in France.
"I am not fighting against the religion of Islam, there is no problem, I am fighting against the Islamist ideology which attacks gender equality, tolerance, democracy and seeks to impose religious law called sharia," Le Pen insisted, arguing that it is necessary "to close 570 radical mosques".
Emmanuel Macron responded that the far-right candidate had "gone from the headscarf" to "terrorism and Islamism".
Extending this reasoning, "How many policemen and gendarmes will run after the headscarves?" asked Emmanuel Macron.
"Those who ran after those who did not wear masks," retorted Marine Le Pen."
Source: Proto Thema
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