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Sarkozy v Hollande: France's most bruising verbal stand-off in 30 years Sarkozy v Hollande: France's most bruising verbal stand-off in 30 years
(about 6 hours later)
Before stepping into the ring, neither sparring partner would accept the billing as being a heavyweight boxing match. But if Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande had sought to play down the bruising nature of their live TV debate, there was no doubt of its nature once the cameras started rolling.Before stepping into the ring, neither sparring partner would accept the billing as being a heavyweight boxing match. But if Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande had sought to play down the bruising nature of their live TV debate, there was no doubt of its nature once the cameras started rolling.
This was the most aggressive, verbally violent, and savage standoff in more than 30 years of French presidential TV debates. For three hours live, watched by an estimated 20m voters, the rivals fought over the economy, unemployment, and how to deal with France's high public debt.This was the most aggressive, verbally violent, and savage standoff in more than 30 years of French presidential TV debates. For three hours live, watched by an estimated 20m voters, the rivals fought over the economy, unemployment, and how to deal with France's high public debt.
But, above all, it was a personality contest over who could convey the most presidential stature while skewering his opponent, with a level of barely disguised animosity never seen before in such a showdown.But, above all, it was a personality contest over who could convey the most presidential stature while skewering his opponent, with a level of barely disguised animosity never seen before in such a showdown.
Hollande had been slated by his rightwing opponents as being too soft and too inexperienced to lead France, a wobbly pudding or an "eiderdown", but was on the offensive, persistently attacking Sarkozy over his five-year record in office. Sarkozy shot back that Hollande was a liar and incompetent.Hollande had been slated by his rightwing opponents as being too soft and too inexperienced to lead France, a wobbly pudding or an "eiderdown", but was on the offensive, persistently attacking Sarkozy over his five-year record in office. Sarkozy shot back that Hollande was a liar and incompetent.
The first snap readers' poll on the newspaper Le Parisien's website suggested Hollande had won ground. For weeks, people on the left had been muttering at rallies that they wanted to see Sarkozy, known as the rottweiler of television debating, brought low in the TV debate.The first snap readers' poll on the newspaper Le Parisien's website suggested Hollande had won ground. For weeks, people on the left had been muttering at rallies that they wanted to see Sarkozy, known as the rottweiler of television debating, brought low in the TV debate.
The right argued that, for a bruiser like Sarkozy, Hollande would be a walkover. Never sell the skin of a bear before you've shot it, said one commentator on a French website.The right argued that, for a bruiser like Sarkozy, Hollande would be a walkover. Never sell the skin of a bear before you've shot it, said one commentator on a French website.
Both candidates scored points in different ways. The president was on the offensive and styled himself as much as a challenger as a sitting president.Both candidates scored points in different ways. The president was on the offensive and styled himself as much as a challenger as a sitting president.
With Hollande attacking him on his record in office, it allowed Sarkozy to keep the subject matter on his favourite topics, vaunting his drive to solve the euro crisis or his tough stance on immigration.With Hollande attacking him on his record in office, it allowed Sarkozy to keep the subject matter on his favourite topics, vaunting his drive to solve the euro crisis or his tough stance on immigration.
But Hollandeappeared to manage to psychologically destabilise Sarkozy in a way that had eluded his former marital partner, the Socialist presidential candidate, Ségolène Royal, in 2007. Then, Sarkozy had told Royal, "you're losing your nerve" adding, smugly: "To be president, one has to be calm." But Hollandeappeared to manage to psychologically destabilise Sarkozy in a way that had eluded his former partner, the Socialist presidential candidate, Ségolène Royal, in 2007. Then, Sarkozy had told Royal, "you're losing your nerve" adding, smugly: "To be president, one has to be calm."
This time, it was the president who seemed angry. "You're lying!", "It's a lie!" "Who's the liar here?" went the volley of accusations of fiddled statistics and untruthfulness. You can't make a reasoned argument without being "disagreeable", sighed Hollande.This time, it was the president who seemed angry. "You're lying!", "It's a lie!" "Who's the liar here?" went the volley of accusations of fiddled statistics and untruthfulness. You can't make a reasoned argument without being "disagreeable", sighed Hollande.