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Sarkozy Tops Royal in Teleduel
French television viewers found the rightist former interior minister Nicolas Sarkozy more convincing than Socialist Segolene Royal in the debate aired two evenings ago. A team of five psychologists, four of whom were women, decided that the usually more explosive Sarkozy should become a model of self-control for the event that is largely seen as the last chance for the presidential candidates to swing undecided voters. He was also advised not to look into the eyes of his opponent, to avoid falling under her charms. He took that advice. Royal's consultants, on the other hand, told her to be decisive and aggressive. Sarkozy commented on her success in that after the debate.
The debates were almost exclusively focused on French socio-economic issues. The opponents agreed on little in the two and a half hours they faced off, although there views partially coincided on immigration. Sarkozy called the 35-hour work week introduced by Socialist president Francois Mitterrand “a catastrophe,” and Royal blasted back that the conservative government of Jacques Chirac did nothing to change it while it could. She repeated that argument several times.
Royal reacted angrily when Sarkozy stated that handicapped children should be taught in regular schools, pointing out that she had advanced that measure in the Socialist government. “To be president of the Republic, you have to be calm,” Sarkozy answered. The moderator then turned the conversation toward international affairs. Sarkozy opposed European Union membership for Turkey, while Royal did not. Royal favored preventing Iran from enriching uranium for any reason whatsoever and suggested boycotting the Beijing Olympics due to China's uncooperative attitude toward the humanitarian crisis in Sudan. Sarkozy called that “a very bad idea.”
In France, 20 million people, almost half the electorate watched the debates. Surveys showed that 53 percent of French voters considered Sarkozy the winner in the debate, as opposed to 31 percent who favored Royal. Before the debate, polls showed Sarkozy with 53.5 percent of voter support, and Royal with 46.5 percent.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of May 04, 2007
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