It took BFM-TV half an hour to address a European subject, Thursday May 2, during the debate organized by the channel between Jordan Bardella and Valérie Hayer, head of the list in the… European elections. And one more hour for the Macronist candidate to enter a duel that she had, at this stage, already lost. One month before the June 9 election, facing the far-right candidate to whom polls attribute more than 30% of voting intentions, MEP (Renew) Valérie Hayer struggled, both in substance and in form. , without managing to put Jordan Bardella in difficulty on his weak points. The president of the National Rally (RN) found in front of him a more flexible candidate than Raphaël Glucksmann, leader of the Place publique-Socialist Party, who had pushed him to his limits during a debate on April 12.
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The first question from presenter Benjamin Duhamel – attributing a quality and a fault to his opponent – immediately made it possible to situate the intentions of the two debaters. Valérie Hayer, more aggressive, tried to denounce the imposture that, according to her, the RN’s European program constitutes: the defect was thus “duplicity”and quality, “the nerve to state so many lies with such aplomb”. Jordan Bardella, for his part, only has a capital of points to maintain and the right to reassure. He wanted to be a good player but above all a mocker: “I have a lot of respect for you. You are courageous because you represent Emmanuel Macron’s record and you ran for office. »
The far-right leader subsequently increased his sarcasm in a light tone, reflecting his relative ease in a place and context that he knows much better than his interlocutor. With an audacity bordering on arrogance, Jordan Bardella even said, at the end of the show: “I have the impression that Mr.me Hayer has difficulty with European subjects. » He who crossed his mandate like a shadow.
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Many stretched poles
Jordan Bardella had the advantage of starting the debate on two themes of his own, although chosen by the channel, and having no link with the European election: “youth hyperviolence” and the revolt of Sciences Po Paris students against the war in Gaza. On these two subjects, Mme Hayer refused for a long time to cut off Mr. Bardella, allowing the far-right leader to make his argument. Including to denounce anti-Semitism, an issue on which his party nevertheless offers some support. After an hour of debate, Valérie Hayer was four minutes late in speaking time, buried under the words of her opponent.
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