27 days from the first round, this evening in a unique format is part of a campaign unlike any other under the Fifth Republic, hit hard by the war in Ukraine and soaring energy prices with background a possible rebound of the Covid pandemic.

There will be the president-candidate, always a big favorite in the polls for a second term, but also his far-right rivals Marine Le Pen and Eric Zemmour, right-wing Valérie Pécresse (LR) and left-wing Jean-Luc Mélenchon ( LFI), Yannick Jadot (EELV), Fabien Roussel (PCF), Anne Hidalgo (PS).

But some were not invited, such as the far left candidates Nathalie Arthaud (LO) and Philippe Poutou (NPA), the sovereignist Nicolas Dupont-Aignan (DLF) or even Jean Lassalle who is choking at being treated like a "shitty and useless candidate".

All opponents of Emmanuel Macron agree to denounce his refusal to debate before the first round.

Campaign poster of candidate President Emmanuel Macron during an LREM meeting at the Dock des Suds in Marseille, March 12, 2022 CLEMENT MAHOUDEAU AFP

The Head of State, who is also very mobilized as President-in-Office of the EU, justifies his decision by the fact that the other outgoing Presidents in the running for a second term had not lent themselves to the exercise more .

"Do without the election"

"Ah if he could do without the election, he would do without it", was indignant Xavier Bertrand, adviser to Valérie Pécresse, at this stage neck and neck in the polls with Eric Zemmour and Jean -Luc Mélenchon for third place.

"In a democracy, there needs to be a confrontation of ideas, so that the French can make up their minds. On April 10 and 24, it's not a referendum + for or against the war +", he said. added on France 2.

Same observation on the left.

"This succession of candidates actually prevents us from having a moment of meaningful exchanges with the current president. I believe that we would not suffer, in a democracy, from too many discussions", noted Alexis Corbière, lieutenant of the candidate Rebellious.

Emmanuel Macron "can very well be president and participate in a certain number of debates on sets" but he "does not wish to do so", regretted Marine Le Pen on Sunday on BFMTV, denouncing his "refusal" to participate in any democratic exercise. ". The RN candidate is in the polls given in second position (17/18%), far behind Mr. Macron (30%).

The RN candidate for the French presidential election Marine Le Pen during an electoral rally in Bouchain, in the North, on March 11, 2022 François LO PRESTI AFP / Archives

This evening scheduled from 8:20 p.m. to around 11:00 p.m. will take place in three phases during which the contenders for the Elysée will intervene one after the other.

With a different speaking time, which depends in particular on the number of elected officials, the groups in the Assembly, the polls, the dynamics of the campaign and the results of previous elections, according to TF1, which is based on the rules of the fairness enacted by Arcom, the audiovisual policeman.

"Calculator instead of heart"

The candidates will have the opportunity to come back to the soaring fuel prices, the most immediate concrete consequence for the moment of the war in Ukraine for the French, and more generally to the defense of purchasing power, the number one concern of voters.

The oppositions during the weekend qualified as an "electoralist" or "derisory" measure the announcement by Prime Minister Jean Castex of a discount at the pump of 15 centimes per liter from April 1.

For Ian Brossat, spokesperson for the communist candidate, it is necessary to take a "simpler, more radical measure": the blocking of prices at the pump at 1.70 euros and "the establishment of a floating tax".

The spokesperson for the PCF candidate for the French presidential election Ian Brossat at an electoral meeting in Place Stalingrad in Paris, November 21, 2021 Alain JOCARD AFP / Archives

"The best way to finance all this is to attack the dividends paid by the big oil companies to their shareholders," he said on Franceinfo.

Xavier Bertrand (LR) has already drawn a clear conclusion: "These people (from the executive, editor's note), they have a calculator instead of their head and instead of their heart. They don't know how to put themselves instead of the French.

© 2022 AFP