During a debate organized by BFM-TV between Jordan Bardella of the Rassemblement National (RN) and Valérie Hayer of Renew, the discussion only touched on European issues half an hour into the debate. Valérie Hayer, who is running against Bardella in the upcoming European elections, struggled to challenge him on his weak points, as polls indicate he has more than 30% of the vote. Bardella found Hayer to be more flexible than previous opponents, such as Raphaël Glucksmann, and he was able to maintain a confident and mocking tone throughout the debate, making light of Hayer’s knowledge of European issues.
The debate began with the question of assigning a quality and a flaw to the opponent, revealing the intentions of the debaters. Hayer criticized the RN’s European program as an imposture, calling Bardella out for “duplicité” (duplicity) as a flaw and praising him for having the “culot” (nerve) to tell so many lies with confidence as a quality. Bardella, on the other hand, only needed to maintain his lead and reassure the right wing voters. He maintained a mocking and light-hearted tone throughout the debate, showing his comfort in the setting and his familiarity with the topics at hand.
Bardella had the advantage of starting the debate on topics unrelated to the European election, allowing him to control the conversation and present his arguments. Hayer struggled to interrupt Bardella, which allowed him to dominate the speaking time and present his views on important issues such as antisemitism. As the debate progressed, Hayer found herself four minutes behind in speaking time, struggling to make an impact against Bardella’s confident and mocking demeanor. Bardella took advantage of the situation to further solidify his position as a frontrunner in the upcoming election
As the debate drew to a close, Bardella continued to mock Hayer’s lack of knowledge on European issues, highlighting his dominance in the conversation. Despite Hayer’s attempts to challenge Bardella, she was unable to effectively counter his arguments and struggled to make an impact. Bardella’s confident performance and ability to maintain control of the debate showcased his strength as a candidate, while Hayer’s difficulties in challenging him highlighted the challenges she faces in the upcoming election. The debate served as a platform for Bardella to solidify his position as a frontrunner in the European elections.
