“We must have a real debate and that the president accepts it”, defends the socialist Rachid Temal

“It is necessary that everyone can present a program and confront each other. That’s democracy.” Guest of the program “Votre moment politique” on franceinfo, the socialist senator Rachid Temal pleaded, Monday, March 14, for there to be “a real debate” before the first round of the presidential election. And the elected representative of Val-d’Oise added: “I believe that the president must accept this debate.”

Candidate for his re-election, Emmanuel Macron nevertheless refused to participate in a program during which he would have been opposed to the other contenders for the Elysée. “We tell them what [aux électeurs] ? reacted Rachid Temal, who supports Anne Hidalgo, the candidate invested by the Socialist Party. ‘You will see in the second round’? (…) No, there is no reason that in a democracy there should not be this debate.

“If we retire at 65 proposed by Emmanuel Macron, which we dispute, it is normal that there is a debate in front of the French.”

Rachid Temal, PS senator from Val-d’Oise

on franceinfo

Since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, for almost three weeks, the debates traditionally linked to questions of economy or health are also eclipsed by the war. “We don’t have a campaign”also lamented Valérie Pécresse, the LR candidate, on France 5.