Finally the kick-off of the campaign for the European elections? One month before the European election, Jordan Bardella (RN), Valérie Hayer (Renaissance), Raphaël Glucksmann (PS), Manon Aubry (LFI), Marie Toussaint (Les Écologists), François-Xavier Bellamy (LR) and Marion Maréchal (Reconquête !) exchanged blows for two hours during the very first seven-party debate of the campaign. On the program for this meeting co-organized by RTL, Le Figaro, M6, LCP and Paris Première? Four main themes such as “European defense” in the context of the war in Ukraine, “ecology”, “immigration and the protection of EU borders” and “the economic war against China”.
The Bardella target
It was the first meeting attended by the head of the National Rally (RN) list, Jordan Bardella, who has been at the top of voting intentions for many weeks. So the attacks against him did not fail to arise, particularly from the first sequence of the program devoted to… the war in Ukraine. “ It begins… “, immediately blows the young president of the RN, while the head of the Renaissance list Valérie Hayer challenges him from his first speech, denouncing his “ambiguous positions” and judging ” ashamed ” THE ” support » from his party to Russia.
“ You have never supported Ukraine. You have never supported the condemnations against the imprisonment of Russian opponent Alexeï Navalny. You even confirmed on your list a certain Thierry Mariani whose positions and proximity to Russia are known. », Underlined the candidate from the presidential camp. Before summarizing his thoughts: “ All this confirms that you are serving not the interests of France and Europe but the interests of Russia. »
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The Macronist is not the only one to have chosen to aim for the head of the RN list in this area. “ You are a foreign agent “, for her part, the environmentalist candidate Marie Toussaint simply launched to Jordan Bardella, while the latter criticized Emmanuel Macron for wanting “ remove the sovereignty of France » by advocating European defense. “ When we have such a fascination for Vladimir Putin, for Bashar al-Assad, we cannot come here and say that we defend the French. It's really a lie », castigated the candidate.
And Marie Toussaint added: “ You never voted in favor” resolutions aimed at “free yourself from Russian gas “.
L’Insoumise Manon Aubry is not to be outdone since she went so far as to rename the name of the “ gone to the national flame » by Jordan Bardella… the party of “ national laziness “. An allusion to the little ones 21 amendments in the space of five years » tabled by the MEP during his first mandate.
The left's emotional blackmail of Glucksmann
During the chapter on ecology, the two left-wing candidates present on the stage did not hesitate to target this time the head of the list of the Socialist Party (PS). While Raphaël Glucksmann took up the speaking time to discuss his defense of Green Deal“ essential issue of this election “, the ecologist Marie Toussaint cut it several times in a familiar way to say the least: ” Raphaël, you can't say that, you have a political family… Raphaël… We know each other, you can't do that… »
“ Go have a coffee! “, the Reconquest candidate then allows herself to be ironic! Marion Maréchal. Before Marie Toussaint pulls herself together and abandons informality in favor of a mark of politeness… And incisive speech. “ You are, Mr Glucksmann, part of a political family which voted for austerity, for mega trucks, half for GMOs, for the environmental unraveling of the CAP… You cannot come and tell us that your group is bulwark against this unraveling while you were a party to it, it is not possible. »
Until the famous “buzz” resounded – which intervened several times during the debate in an attempt to stop the cacophony beginning to take hold on the set. Raphaël Glucksmann tried to resume his argument on the Green Deal, calling for “ investments » and “ planning » so that the ecological revolution is “ industrial “.
But it was then Manon Aubry's turn to play on her proximity to the PS candidate. “ Raphaël, if you want to be consistent, then leave the social democratic group in the European Parliament », insisted the Insoumise
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A standoff over immigration
After ecology, immigration. The sequence was expected but no big surprises. On their favorite ground, the far-right candidates Jordan Bardella and Marion Maréchal nevertheless got their feet caught in the carpet without succeeding in clearly answering questions from journalists on the set about the ” remigration » and its concrete application… But above all seeking to appear as the most offensive question. For Marion Maréchal, “remigration” means “ that today there are a certain number of foreign personalities who are on French soil and have nothing to do there “.
And the candidate of Eric Zemmour's party to list: “ S files for Islamism “, ” foreign delinquents who populate far too many of our prisons ” And ” long-term unemployed people who cannot meet their needs and who weigh on French national solidarity »… The journalist then questions them: “ Are you for remigration like in Great Britain? » – in reference to the recent bill aimed at send migrants back to Rwandaregardless of their nationality of origin.
“ My political movement has been defending these measures for thirty years, so I'm not going to tell you otherwise. », answers Bardella straight away without giving the impression of having listened to the whole question. “ Sending back illegal immigrants, yes, that’s for sure. And I am even against the principle of any regularization of a person who arrived illegally on French soil », proudly adds Marion Maréchal following this same question, denouncing in passing the vote by the RN of Macronist texts on the subject in the Assembly, having “ resulted in an increase in the number of regularization of illegal immigrants on French soil “.
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While Jordan Bardella denies his competitor's accusations, the journalist again asks the RN candidate if his party is in favor of this ” English system “. Response from the interested party? “ I am for the dismissal of all people who have nothing to do with us. That is to say, foreign delinquents and criminals, foreign Islamists… », he lists in turn.
Before ensuring: “ An Islamist who threatens national security who is on French soil… What can happen to him in his country of origin is not my subject. What matters to me is the safety of our fellow citizens. »
Exchanges which do not seem likely to reshuffle the cards of the debate and the balance of power one month before the election. However, other meetings await the heads of the list between now and then.
