The campaign for the European Union's parliamentary elections has entered its final phase, following a televised debate that brought together the main French contenders ahead of this weekend's EU-wide, transnational vote.
Broadcast live on France 2 television and France Inter radio this Tuesday, the debate gave the candidates a last chance to engage with the French people and for the contenders to make a positive impact on the polls.
With only three days left to campaign, the front-runners are stepping-up their efforts on the ground and in the media, hoping to make a difference before Sunday's elections.
Jordan Bardella (National Rally), Valérie Hayer (Renaissance), Raphaël Glucksmann (Socialist Party), François-Xavier Bellamy (Republicans), Manon Aubry (France Unbowed), Marie Toussaint (French Greens), Marion Maréchal (Reconquest) and Léon Deffontaines (Communist Party) all made a last ditch effort to get their respective messages across to the electorate and make their mark ahead of the transnational vote.
📺 Ce soir à 20h40 sur #France2, Caroline Roux recevra 16 candidats aux #Europeennes2024 en 2 parties pour #levenement : "Le Grand Débat des Européennes" ➡️ Découvrez les candidats invités ce soir ► https://t.co/VklTbHJyxZ #Medias pic.twitter.com/XZ40SJbWmP
— Wecast MEDIA (@Wecastmedia) June 4, 2024
Migration dominates debate
The candidates debated European migration policies at length, with the far-right's Jordan Bardella taking the offensive on the subject, describing several other front-runners as "immigrationists" (pro-immigration). He was branded a "fascist" by Green party candidate Marie Toussaint in return.
Unsurprisingly on the issue of migration, the left-right divide across France's politcal spectrum came to the fore, with the left-wing candidates standing united.
Raphaël Glucksmann denounced the lack of a comprehensive European migration policy and voiced his desire to develop legal channels for migration "so that we can have a controlled, managed influx of workers who can then leave".
The Socialist candidate enjoys positive momentum in the polls, which he hopes to maintain in the final run ahead of Sunday's vote.
As for conservative candidate François-Xavier Bellamy, he tried to distinguish himself by reaffirming his desire to build walls at certain European borders.
"The reason why people are dying in the Mediterranean is not that Europe has borders, it's that Europe no longer has borders," he insisted, highlighting his work on migration issues in the European Parliament.
Ukraine on the agenda
Ukraine was also at the centre of Tuesday's debate, leading to a heated exchange of views between Bardella and Glucksmann.
The Socialist front-runner criticised his far-right opponent for having on his electoral role "the Kremlin's little telegraph operator", in reference to MEP Thierry Mariani – known for his pro-Russian stance and accusing the National Rally of having applauded Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Bardella countered, "I'm not in favour of France becoming a cobelligerent ... War is serious business".
#EUROPEENNES 🔴🗣 Le Premier ministre Gabriel Attal fait irruption dans l'auditorium de la Maison de la radio, pour défendre la candidature de Valérie Hayer. "Il faut se mobiliser pour les listes qui sont pro-européennes", plaide-t-il. pic.twitter.com/B8tpjjPbwT
— franceinfo (@franceinfo) June 3, 2024
For Valérie Hayer, the objective of the evening as the Renaissance candidate was to make her voice heard.
Relegated to the background by the omnipresence of Prime Minister Gabriel Attal – who has been accused of stealing her thunder by interrupting an interview at Franceinfo this week – and President Macron in her campaign, Hayer immediately attacked being overshadowed.
"I don't need commentators or opponents to speak for me," she said, before adding: "Punchlines aren't my thing".
She defensively underlined her seriousness as the "most influential" French MEP in Strasbourg, according to a European polling agency.
Far ahead of all his opponents in terms of voting intentions, Jordan Bardella was the target of all his competitors.
However, Bardella's objective during Tuesday's debate was not to take risks and get out of the televised discussion without damaging his status as favourite.
The campaign will officially come to an end on Friday 7 June at 11:59pm with a media moratorium on political commentary in place until 9 June, the day of the vote in France.
