Electoral debate: Attal, Bardella and Bompard face off five days before the vote

With five days to go to the first round of the legislative elections, Gabriel Attal, Jordan Bardella and Manuel Bompard took part in a televised debate lasting almost two hours on TF1 on Tuesday 25 June.

With the polls putting the Rassemblement National in the lead and the Nouveau Front Populaire above 25% of voting intentions, the presidential party is looking to bounce back after its failure in the European elections.

Purchasing power, energy, immigration, pensions: the issues discussed

Purchasing power: The candidates discussed measures to improve purchasing power. Jordan Bardella proposed reducing VAT on energy products, while Gabriel Attal suggested lowering electricity prices by 15%. Manuel Bompard promised to freeze the prices of basic necessities and raise the minimum wage to €1,600.

Pensions: On pensions, Manuel Bompard wants to bring back the statutory retirement age to 60 with 40 years of service, while Jordan Bardella is focusing on long careers, allowing those who started working early to retire at 60. Gabriel Attal defends the current reform and proposes incentives for the employment of older people.

Energy: Gabriel Attal supports the government’s plan to revive nuclear power with 14 new reactors. Jordan Bardella criticises the plan and proposes a moratorium on wind farms. Manuel Bompard, representing the left, calls for a massive reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Immigration: Jordan Bardella wants to abolish droit du sol and limit free healthcare for foreigners, and proposes banning certain jobs for people with dual nationality. Gabriel Attal opposes this measure, pointing out that it would send the wrong message to dual nationals. Manuel Bompard defends the historical contributions of immigrants to France.

Education: On education, Gabriel Attal wants to strengthen the authority of teachers and put an end to the “no wave” policy. Jordan Bardella calls for a “big bang for authority” and supports the wearing of uniforms. Manuel Bompard insists that school supplies should be genuinely free from the start of the new school year.

The debate highlighted the profound differences between the candidates on issues that are crucial to voters in the run-up to the legislative elections.