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2022 FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Macron judged ‘most convincing’ in TV debate with Le Pen

The first viewer polls are in, and incumbent Emmanuel Macron was judged the most convincing candidate in Wednesday night's nearly three-hour TV debate.

Published: 21 April 2022 00:51 CEST

Macron judged 'most convincing' in TV debate with Le Pen

Emmanuel Macron during the TV debate with Marine Le Pen. Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP)

The head-to-head debate between the two candidates in the second round of the French presidential debate was screened live to the nation and, as is tradition, most media organisations ran their own snap polls on who ‘won’.

An Elabe poll for TV station BFM and newspaper L’Express found that 59 percent of viewers said that Macron was more convincing during the debate.

Le Pen was judged most convincing by 39 percent of viewers, while two percent did not give an opinion.

Commentators posting on social media judged that Macron had the better grasp of detail and the technicalities of his policy, but at times appeared arrogant and patronising.

I doubt this evening's debate will change the polls as much as confirm the trends already in place. Macron has widened his lead over Le Pen since 1st-round voting on April 10th, and this will probably continue in the remaining days before the final vote on April 24th pic.twitter.com/Ukr4wM6UjX

— Sophie Pedder (@PedderSophie) April 20, 2022

Le Pen made it a point to show empathy for the struggles of ordinary French people, but at times appeared muddled and confused and confused about her policies.

5. Crucially, unclear whether debate will have changed minds of undecided.Those who find Macron arrogant may not have always appreciated his tone. Those who criticise Le Pen for extreme views may not have been reassured either. High levels of abstention possible. END (bonne nuit)

— Georgina Wright (@GeorginaEWright) April 20, 2022

Going into the debate Macron was leading the polls with an average lead of 56 percent to 44 percent, with three days to go until the second round of voting on Sunday, April 24th.

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8 things you never knew about Andorra

This week, Andorra passed a law setting a minimum Catalan language requirement for foreign residents.

It’s not often the tiny, independent principality in the mountains makes the news – other than, perhaps, when its national football team loses (again) to a rather larger rival in international qualifying competitions.

The national side are due to play Spain in early June, as part of the larger nation’s warm-up for the Euro 2024 tournament in Germany. Here, then, in case you’re watching that match, at Estadio Nuevo Vivero, are a few facts about Andorra that you can astound your fellow football fans with…

Size matters

Small though it is – it has an area of just 468 square kilometres, a little more than half the size of the greater Paris area – there are five smaller states in Europe, 15 smaller countries in the world by area, and 10 smaller by population.

People

Its population in 2023 was 81,588. That’s fewer people than the city of Pau, in southwest France (which is itself the 65th largest town in France, by population).

High-living

The principality’s capital, Andorra la Vella (population c20,000 – about the same population as Dax) is the highest capital city in Europe, at an elevation of 1,023 metres above sea level.

Spoken words

The official language – and the one you’ll need for a residency permit – is Catalan. But visitors will find Spanish, Portuguese and French are also commonly spoken, and a fair few people will speak some English, too.

Sport

We’ve already mentioned the football. But Andorra’s main claim to sporting fame is as a renowned winter sports venue. With about 350km of ski runs, across 3,100 hectares of mountainous terrain, it boasts the largest ski area in the Pyrenees.

Economic model

Tourism, the mainstay of the economy, accounts for roughly 80 percent of Andorra’s GDP. More than 10 million tourists visit every year.

It also has no sales tax on most items – which is why you’ll often find a queue at the French border as locals pop into the principality to buy things like alcohol, cigarettes and (bizarrely) washing powder, which are significantly cheaper.

Head of state

Andorra has two heads of state, because history. It’s believed the principality was created by Charlemagne (c748 – 814CE), and was ruled by the count of Urgell up to 988CE, when it was handed over to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Urgell. The principality, as we know it today, was formed by a treaty between the bishop of Urgell and the count of Foix in 1278.

Today, the state is jointly ruled by two co-princes: the bishop of Urgell in Catalonia, Spain and … the president of France, who (despite the French aversion to monarchy and nobility) has the title Prince of Andorra, following the transfer of the count of Foix’s claims to the Crown of France and, subsequently, to the head of state of the French Republic.

Military, of sorts

Andorra does have a small, mostly ceremonial army. But all able-bodied Andorran men aged between 21 and 60 are obliged to respond to emergency situations, including natural disasters.

Legally, a rifle should be kept and maintained in every Andorran household – though the same law also states that the police will supply a firearm if one is required.

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