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Subscribe to RSSPresident Sarkozy is locked in a TV debate right now, fighting to hold on to office. He's trailing his socialist rival Francois Hollande in the polls with four days to go to the final vote. Tonight's debate is really his last chance to claw back some support. From Paris, our European editor James Mates reports.
PARIS - French President Nicolas Sarkozy made a last-ditch appeal to far-right voters on Thursday after failing to land a knockout blow in a heated televised debate with Socialist rival Francois Hollande before Sunday's decisive runoff.
Hollande, ahead in opinion polls by six to 10 points, was calm and unflappable during the nearly three-hour debate on Wednesday while the conservative Sarkozy, struggling to catch up with the moderate social democrat, was often agitated and tense.
Commentators said the confrontation, watched by 17.8 million people out of an electorate of 44.5 million, was no game-changer and probably only reinforced voters' opinions in a contest that has been as much about style and personality as substance.
"It was a draw but as Mr Hollande started as favorite, he remains the favorite," wrote Francoise Fressoz in an editorial in Le Monde. "Mr Sarkozy did not manage to destabilize him, which was his objective from the start."
France's election battle moves from hearts to heads
Television commentators said Sarkozy had performed "like a boxer" in Wednesday's debate and Hollande "like a judo fighter", using flashes of wit and interjections to unbalance his rival.
"Hollande presides over the debate," left-wing Liberation wrote on its front page, while the right-leaning Le Figaro, with a headline "High Tension", emphasized the bitterness of the exchanges. It noted that every euro zone leader to seek re-election since 2008 had lost, but said divisions in the French left and Hollande's outdated policies gave Sarkozy a chance.
Mehdi Fedouach / AFP - Getty Images
Socialist Party supporters applaud as they watch on TV the televised national debate between the two candidates for the 2012 French presidential election, France's Socialist Party (PS)'s Francois Hollande and France's incumbent president and Union for a Popular Movement (UMP)'s, Nicolas Sarkozy between the two rounds of the presidential election on May 2, 2012 at the Players bar in Paris. AFP PHOTO / MEHDI FEDOUACHMEHDI FEDOUACH/AFP/GettyImages
Hollande, 57, was confident and relaxed in the early exchanges of Wednesday's contest, saying he aimed to be "the president of justice" and "the president of unity".
He said Sarkozy, also 57 and in office since 2007, had divided the French people and was using the global economic crisis as an excuse for broken promises. "With you it's very simple: it's never your fault," Hollande said.
Sarkozy, fighting for his political life, repeatedly accused his opponent of lying about economic figures and reeled off reams of statistics in an attempt to swamp his adversary.
4-month presidential campaign with no television ads? Welcome to France
Deriding Hollande's pledge to be a "normal president", the president said: "Your normality is not up to the challenge."
Sarkozy, being punished for rife unemployment and a brash manner, is the most unpopular president to run for re-election. He was the first in recent history to lose a first-round vote, with Hollande benefiting from the anti-incumbent sentiment that has swept 11 euro zone leaders from office since 2009.
The streets of Paris were unusually deserted with many people staying home to watch the debate, although some chose to follow the clash on television screens at their local cafe.
"It has been 50-50. There is no clear winner," said Jacques Dufoix, 36, a computer engineer, after watching the debate in a central Paris sports bar. "I don't think this is going to change the way anyone votes. People have already made up their minds."
Reuters and msnbc.com's Alastair Jamieson contributed to this report.
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Sarkozy is the first French leader that doesn't hold his nose when dealing with the United States. I wish him success in the next election. The world needs leaders like him.
"He said Sarkozy, also 57 and in office since 2007, had divided the French people and was using the global economic crisis as an excuse for broken promises. "With you it's very simple: it's never your fault," Hollande said."
That sounds a lot like Obama to me.
"It noted that every euro zone leader to seek re-election since 2008 had lost, but said divisions in the French left and Hollande's outdated policies gave Sarkozy a chance."
It would seem that the European voters just want a leader that will do the impossible - Make the economy/jobs better while maintaining all of those expensive social benefits - with no pain. Here's a clue - there is a close relationship between massive government spending and slow economic/jobs growth - It's relationship is shown by the "Rahn Curve" - link below.
That 'elephant in the room' (the massive public debt) will not go away, and just keeps getting bigger, and bigger, and bigger......
It remains to be seen if the American voters are any wiser.
Link to the Rahn Curve;
http://politicsandprosperity.wordpress.com/2010/07/07/the-rahn-curve-at-work/
Well maybe Sarkozy didn´t floor him but he knocked him down a couple of times.and then Le Pen came in and gave him a couple of kicks. I´m no great fan of Le Pen but a coalition with Sarkozy and her would be much better than Hollande who like his counterpart in Spain .Zapatero is not clearheaded and strong enough to deal with the major threats to France and their society. I vote for Sarkozy again!!
Yes Roy, because something like "politicsandprosperity" is such a trustworthy source of information.
Man, you Republicans have an eye on the beast. Scared, worried maybe?
Make other contingency plans because Sarkozy is out and Hollande is in. Being that all of Europe is going to redirect towards more Left in the tough times you guys created, don't be surprised when Obama is reelected and many of your reps get booted out of Congress. You did it.
If you can't work with others, take the rest your wealth and move to China or wherever you invested. I hope you speak one of their dialects, so you can stay there.
The average FRENCH person is fed up with seeing illegals everywhere they turn. Their country is being overrun and they know it.
Most FRENCH want their sovereignty, culture and currency back from the elitist 5cum hijackers who wish to break down the borders and make the world flat.
Sarkosy is done.
crisis4ever "The average FRENCH person is fed up with seeing illegals everywhere they turn. Their country is being overrun and they know it."
Somehow, I don't think electing an 'open borders liberal' like Hollande will solve that problem.
crisis4ever, if your analysis were right, the French would have elected Le Pen. On everything you mention, Hollande is worse than Sarkozy.
Sarkozy fails to floor Hollande in France election television debate - Well we have a Marxist in the White House and it now appears we will have a Communist in France. Let me dust off the Engles and Marx best sellers. Communist manifesto anyone?
So you own copies of those books and keep them in your library.
BEA'S copies of those books, are the pop-up picture type .
TheClap,
Every educated person owns copies of those books, keeps them in their library, and has a library.
You should also have a copy of "The art of war" by Sun Tzu. Rule #1 of that: Know your enemy, know yourself. (paraphrased of course).
Patton defeated Rommel, Patton read Rommel's book. Wish our own leaders (military and government) read more of their enemy's books.
Oh, you mean like Romney reading Dr. Suess and deciding that becoming the Onceler was the way to go ?
Sounds like professor romney.
As an Englishman living in America for many years I am not surprised to hear the British electorate are wearing a bit thin of Cameron. They quickly wear thin on anyone who does not perform like they promise when trying to gain election—and they have to make promises which appeal, in order to gain election. So it’s become a vicious circle, which is not so bad in good times, but a disaster in the present economic climate. Two world wars did decimate England and I don’t think the country has really ever recovered. We lost the Comonwealth, but still allow it's citizens to take advantage of our welfare system, to which they have not contributed. I also find it more than ironical that the powerhouse of Europe is now Germany.
The French are not cozy with Czar Kozy? Why?