“I am delighted that Madame Le Pen deigns to debate with me. She said March, then February. We’ll do it when she wants. Eric Zemmour recently showed all smiles at the idea of facing his rival from the National Rally on television. The candidate of the Reconquest party has already discussed with Jean-Luc Mélenchon at the end of September, then with the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire last Thursday.
The former CNews polemicist is not the only one who enjoys the exercise. Many televised exchanges marked the primary of environmentalists in September, then the Congress of Republicans in November. And after Christiane Taubira announced Friday “consider being a presidential candidate”, Anne Hidalgo proposed to all left-wing candidates … a televised debate. But why do the candidates want to debate so much in this (pre) presidential campaign?
An acceleration linked to the primaries
“The debate is a political ritual, but the phenomenon has really accelerated in recent years with the appearance of the primaries, which have instituted a form of pre-campaign. This phenomenon was combined with the appearance of news channels which echoed it ”, explains historian Jean Garrigues, author ofElysée Circus: a funny and cruel story of the presidential elections (Tallandier). These oratorical games have taken on importance when it comes to deciding between candidates from the same camp, sometimes with very similar programs. Like François Fillon during the right-wing primary in 2016, Valérie Pécresse and Eric Ciotti thus distinguished themselves during the television broadcasts organized for the LR congress.
“The debates make it possible to show the differences between the candidates, but they are also revealers of personality,” says Robin Reda, LR deputy for Essonne and support for the winner of the congress. Valérie Pécresse was able to show her pugnacity, and her determination to apply her project of rupture during the debates, she scored points ”.
To accept a debate is to see an interest in it
A few days ago, during a meeting with the press at his HQ, Eric Zemmour returned to his exchange with Bruno Le Maire, the day before, on France 2. “I was happy with this debate. We went to the heart of the subject “What is a nation?” […] The economic and technical debate was also useful in showing that I could be president. I don’t think I have to be ashamed of this exchange, ”assured the ex-polemicist, often accused of only campaigning on identity issues.
To accept a debate is to see an interest in it. “The motivations can vary. That of Zemmour is obvious, going from the status of polemicist to presidential candidate. On the side of Marine Le Pen, there is a desire to sweep aside suspicions of unpreparedness after his failed debate against Macron in 2017, ”says Jean Garrigues. “Debates play an important role for voters whose choice is not yet determined. In 2017, Jean-Luc Mélenchon stood out on the left by his eloquence, by imposing his style. “
Big audience success to convince
During the previous presidential election, the two big games organized had made pretty audiences. The debate between the five main candidates on TF1 was thus followed by nearly 9.8 million viewers. A boon for politicians, a few weeks before the vote. “It is difficult to think that we will change the opinion of the voters of the other camp, the supporters of an opponent, underlines rebellious deputy Eric Coquerel. But this can help boost our support or convince the undecided. In 2017, the debates weighed heavily, by establishing the legitimacy of Jean-Luc Mélenchon as a statesman. “
After debating against Eric Zemmour, the LFI candidate proposed to Valérie Pécresse, but also to Emmanuel Macron. The head of state, not yet a candidate, will he participate in future televised exchanges? An LREM executive smiled: “I think he will do them all. He really wants to. “