The debates at the top of French politics in recent years have followed a simple rule: a Le Pen supporter and a Macron supporter debate for ninety minutes or more, and in the end, it is always the Macron supporter who wins. On May 23, 2024, on France 2, Gabriel Attal put Jordan Bardella in a difficult position during a debate on European issues, with the prime minister behaving like a candidate and the Le Pen candidate remaining on the defensive. The situation involved a government leader descending into the arena to try to save a struggling European election campaign, and a RN candidate floating in the polls, careful to avoid any mistakes. Both sides were determined to maintain a dueling narrative to privatize French politics, with two young men, aged 35 and 28, whose ambitions were not limited by their youth.
This was the eighth face-off between Gabriel Attal and Jordan Bardella, perhaps the most scrutinized, heavy with personal stakes as the polls give a comfortable lead to the far-right candidate approaching the June 9 election. Attal tried to claim the scalp of his generational rival, and likely succeeded. Bardella aimed to avoid missteps and any arrogance, paying the price of not being able to present his arguments and remaining impassive as criticism came his way. The RN MEP, who had dominated a debate with his rival a month earlier and had previously challenged Macronist ministers, this time let the tempo and key moments of the duel be dictated to him. He was also at fault on substantive issues and never managed to shake his opponent, who sported a smug smile as the night progressed.
From the first theme on economic issues, the prime minister set the tone for the debate by questioning Bardella on his program to highlight its contradictions. Attal attacked a key measure of the far-right party, the “national priority in the single market on public procurement,” reminding Bardella that this was a proposal previously championed by Jean-Marie Le Pen, aiming to place his opponent within the context of his party’s history. As the debate progressed, Attal’s questioning of Bardella took on a more critical tone, with the teacher-student dynamic turning into a reprimand. Bardella struggled to defend his positions effectively and failed to undermine Attal’s confidence, leading to a challenging night for the RN candidate.
Despite his initial advantage in the polls, Bardella was unable to maintain control of the debate and was unable to effectively counter Attal’s attacks on his positions. Attal skillfully used Bardella’s past statements and party history to undermine his credibility, forcing him onto the defensive and not allowing him to present a convincing case for his party’s policies. As the night unfolded, it became clear that Attal had succeeded in destabilizing Bardella and asserting his dominance in the debate. The result of the debate further emphasized the continuing trend of Macron supporters prevailing in such confrontations, indicating the strength of the current government in French politics.
