This evening, on France 2, a 1 hour 20 minute televised debate was held between the Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and Jordan Bardella, president of the National Rally (RN) and the poll favorite for the European elections. With less than three weeks to go before the election, this face-off was highly anticipated, marking the Prime Minister's direct involvement in the European campaign. Initially scheduled to be broadcast on TF1 with a co-broadcast on France 2, the debate was ultimately broadcast exclusively on the latter, after TF1 categorically refused to accept such a condition.
Context and challenges
The campaign for the European elections is in full swing, with the RN leading the polls with more than 30%, far ahead of the Macronist list led by Valérie Hayer, credited with 15 to 17%. Raphaël Glucksmann, head of the Socialist Party list (13 to 15% of voting intentions), also contested the emphasis on this duel, his own party closely following the Macronists.
Protectionism and tariffs
From the start, Bardella insisted on the need to increase customs duties to protect the European internal market, particularly for sectors like automobiles. Attal showed openness on this issue, emphasizing that he was not against increased customs duties in certain contexts, while criticizing the inconsistency of the RN's positions.
Nuclear and energy policy
The discussions then focused on energy policy, with Bardella attacking the Macronists' procrastination on nuclear power. He criticized the government for considering the closure of 14 nuclear reactors, an accusation that Gabriel Attal refuted by recalling that this decision had been postponed until 2018. Attal defended the government's ambitious climate program, mentioning the 1.000 billion d euros of investment by 2030 for the ecological transition.
Environment and electric vehicles
On the environmental issue, Attal praised the ambitious objectives set by Europe and the government, stressing that the fight against global warming was “the fight of our generation”. Bardella retorted that the government's environmental ambitions were unrealistic and would harm the economy, in particular by criticizing the ban on the sale of new thermal vehicles from 2035. Attal counterattacked by defending France's ability to produce 2 million electric vehicles by 2030, accusing Bardella of living in a parallel reality where oil would be abundant in France.
Immigration and sovereignty
Immigration has been a major sticking point. Bardella denounced the asylum-immigration pact recently voted on in the European Parliament, calling it a choice between "compulsory immigration or financial punishment." Attal responded firmly, defending the pact as a way to better protect Europe's external borders and rejecting the RN's vision which he said stigmatizes foreigners. Bardella's proposal for a "double border" was heavily criticized by Attal as unrealistic and dangerous, particularly for daily cross-border travel.
Defense and foreign policy
The war in Ukraine and European defense closed the debate. Bardella criticized the statements ofEmmanuel Macron on the possible deployment of European troops to Ukraine, accusing the president of "throwing fuel on the fire." He also argued that nuclear weapons should remain strictly French. Attal, for his part, supported the need to invest in European defense while reiterating that the ultimate decision on the use of nuclear weapons remains in the hands of the President of the Republic.
Conclusion
The debate ended with discussions on everyone's European ambitions. Bardella concluded by calling on young people to vote for an election he described as "crucial" for the future of the country, accusing the current government of being both the arsonist and the fireman of the current situation. Attal responded by advocating a Europe of Enlightenment and emphasizing France's capacity to be a leader in artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and the production of electric batteries.
This debate highlighted two radically different visions for the future of Europe and France. Gabriel Attal attempted to defend the government's record and propose an optimistic and ambitious vision for Europe, while Jordan Bardella emphasized the protection of national interests and criticism of current policies, particularly on immigration and sovereignty.
With this debate, the two young leaders showed that they were ready to embody the new French political figures for the years to come. It remains to be seen what impact this exchange will have on voters and whether the positions defended this evening will result in a change in voting intentions for the European elections. The duel between Attal and Bardella could well be the prelude to a lasting political rivalry, comparable to that of Mitterrand and Chirac in their time.
