French presidential election 2012: Neither Sarkozy or Hollande manage to land knock-out blow

French presidential election 2012: Neither Sarkozy or Hollande manage to land knock-out blow

• Socialist Francois Hollande tells Sarkozy he has 'failed' French people
• 'You have failed control unemployment and abandoned industry'

By Peter Allen

PUBLISHED: 17:59 EST, 2 May 2012 | UPDATED: 03:06 EST, 3 May 2012

French President Nicolas Sarkozy was told he had 'failed' the French people in a bitter televised debate with his socialist rival Francois Hollande.

Fighting for his political life, Mr Sarkozy, who trails in the polls, was reminded that he had failed to control unemployment and 'abandoned industry'.

Mr Hollande said: 'Unemployment rose by 1 million under Sarkozy â€" four million in total. A record high â€" 10 per cent of the population.

Becoming angry, the incumbent retorted by saying: 'It's a lie, it's a lie [...] you're a little slanderer.'

But despite a series of fireworks, neither candidate managed to land a knock-out blow in what observers described as a 'dramatic' debate but which, in reality, will not affect Sunday's vote.

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Question time: Francois Hollande (left) and Nicolas Sarkozy (right) with journalists Laurence Ferrari and David Pujadas during the televised debate

Rivals: Francois Hollande (left) and Nicolas Sarkozy (right) tried to wow voters by setting out their policies

Contented: Supporters of Socialist Party candidate Francois Hollande react as they watch his televised debate in Marseille

Staring straight at Sarkozy, Hollande said: 'In 2007 when you came to power you said if I don't reduce unemployment to five per cent I will have failed. You indeed failed because it doubled to 10 per cent.'

A robust president hit back claiming there had been little social unrest while he led France for everyone.

Sarkozy, who arrived at the studio with wife Carla Bruni, said he objected to left-wingers likening him to a fascist like Spain's former dictator General Franco or Marshall Petain, who led France's collaborationist Vichy regime during World War II.

'Why not Hitler?' said Sarkozy, as Hollande said he had been likened to 'all manner of zoo animals', without specifying which.

Turn out: Nicolas Sarkozy's wife Carla Bruni (left) and former presidential socialist candidate Segolene Royal (right) were present behind the scenes at the debate

Support: The debate ¿ broadcast on France's two main terrestrial channels and on satellite news ¿ was expected to be watched by more than half of the country's 44.5 million voters

Mr Hollande said on France-3 television afterwards that he showed voters 'what I was capable of' but admitted: ''I don't think this is a debate ... that could bring out new voters.'

The campaign has largely focused on domestic issues such as the weak economy, immigration, and integration of French Muslims.

Yet the outcome is considered crucial to the rest of Europe as well because France is a major economic engine at a time when the eurozone is trying to climb out of a debt crisis.

Vociferous: A supporter of Socialist candidate Francois Hollande reacts during the televised debate

Mr Sarkozy said France needs to do more to cut spending and high state debt, while Mr Hollande backs government-funded stimulus programs.

Both have pushed for similar approaches for the rest of the continent, too.

The two debaters quibbled over statistics; they scoffed sarcastically or spoke over each other, pointed fingers and raised their voices. Their debates came across at times as wonkish, esoteric or nitpicking.

'It's a lie! It's a lie!' Mr Sarkozy insisted in one heated exchange on economic policies. The Socialist contender, meanwhile, forcefully denied some of Mr Sarkozy's claims about his intentions, insisting: 'I never said that'.

Mr Hollande accused Mr Sarkozy of appointing cronies to government posts, and the president shot back, calling his rival 'a little slanderer' and noting he had named some ministers from the political left in his first Cabinet.

A high point came as Mr Hollande teed off on a presenter's question about what kind of president he would be.

He tipped back in his chair, folded his arms, and launched into a litany of points starting with the phrase: 'As president of the Republic, I ...' on issues like the independence of judges, his plan to defer much policy-making to the prime minister or energy policy.

'You've just gave us a nice speech - we got teary-eyed,' retorted Mr Sarkozy, trying to break down some of Mr Hollande's points. 'Your bit about independence of judges is a joke.'

Mr Hollande repeatedly using one of his campaign catchwords: like 'unity' and 'change' to stress the contrast between him and the divisive Mr Sarkozy.

France's Socialist Party candidate for the 2012 French presidential election, Francois Hollande (centre) and his companion Valerie Trierweiler arrive at the TV studios

Pollsters say the incumbent turned off a lot of voters early in his five-year term with his brash personal style. A stagnant economy made those troubles worse.

Mr Sarkozy said he is being unfairly blamed for France's economic problems after years of crisis, and insisted he's not 'the only guilty one'.

'Mr Sarkozy, you would have a hard time passing for a victim,' replied Mr Hollande. 'It's never your fault. You always have a scapegoat. 'It's not me, it's the crisis that hit me'.'

Mr Sarkozy said Mr Hollande's economic plans would send France's debt through the roof and hurt the rest of Europe. The Socialist repeated his line that an euro-zone austerity package needs growth-minded policies, too.

Mr Sarkozy stressed, again and again, Mr Hollande's inexperience, and suggested the Socialist would not be able to handle Europe's debt crisis.

'We avoided the disappearance of Greece, that wasn't so easy. ... I'm not sure, Mr Hollande, that you would have done much better.'

Showman: Nicolas Sarkozy spoke to thousands of his supporters at Trocadero square on May 1

Mr Hollande fired back: 'Europe isn't out of the woods. It is today confronted with a possible resurgence of the crisis with a generalised austerity, and I don't want that.'

Mr Hollande further criticised tax reforms under Mr Sarkozy seen by leftists as too friendly to the rich. Mr Sarkozy countered: 'Saying that we offered gifts to the rich ... is slander. It's a lie.' At this, Mr Hollande laughed.

Both the Socialists and conservatives have sought ways to lure voters who backed Marine Le Pen, leader of the anti-immigrant National Front party who won a stunning 18 per cent of the first-round vote.

Mr Sarkozy denounced those who compared him to France's Nazi collaborators because of his tough campaign rhetoric on immigrants. 'Borders are not a bad word,' Mr Sarkozy said about his calls to limit the number of immigrants France takes in.

Mr Hollande, meanwhile, took a similar position to Mr Sarkozy when it came to special treatment for France's large Muslim community.

He said he would not allow separate menus in public cafeterias or separate hours in swimming pools for men and women to satisfy Muslims' demands, and also said he would firmly support France's ban on the face-covering Islamic veils.

Mass rally: Tens of thousands waved French national flags as Nicolas Sarkozy took to the stage on May 1

Mr Sarkozy took a predator pose from the outset, leaning forward on the desk through much of the debate. Mr Hollande frequently leaned back in his chair, raising his voice less often, and at one point even appeared to yawn.

Mr Sarkozy's assertive posture, in another setting, could be seen as a good thing for a debate. But one of the things his critics dislike most about him is a personality seen as too aggressive, so it may not work in his favour.

The debate â€" broadcast on France's two main terrestrial channels and on satellite news â€" was expected to be watched by more than half of the country's 44.5 million voters.

No fewer than 22 cameras were trained on the two politicians as they sat eight feet apart across a single table. Both agreed on a strictly maintained studio temperature of between 19 and 20 degrees Celsius (66 to 68 Fahrenheit).

Sarkozy, who cancelled all engagements on Wednesday so as to be ready for the debate, insisted on chairs that could be adjusted for height.

Voilà! French President Nicolas Sarkozy cast's his vote in Paris in the first round of the elections while wife Carla Bruni looks on last week

The 5ft 5ins president is extremely sensitive about his height, and has been known to stand on boxes, and even on tiptoe, in a bid to look taller. There was also a digital clock to show how long each candidate spoke for.

Polls have regularly portrayed him as the most unpopular president in the history of modern France, with critics attacking his brash, moneyed style.

Sarkozy awarded himself a pay rise of 140 per cent within a few days of attaining office in 2007 and then married Bruni, the ex-supermodel and multimillionaire heiress.

If he loses in the second round, Sarkozy will become the first president since Valery Giscard d'Estaing to fail in a re-election bid.

Polls put Hollande seven points ahead of Sarkozy.

In recent days, Sarkozy has been desperately trying to appeal to the far-right National Front vote, saying he will cut down on immigration and strengthen border controls.

He has also warned that Hollande's tax-and-spend plans wo uld cause economic catastrophe.

The latest poll by BVA has Hollande winning the election by 7 percentage points, with the Socialist ahead on 53.5 per cent to Sarkozy's 46.5 per cent.

 

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