A tense, respectful and instructive debate.

Five years after her failed duel with Emmanuel Macron, Marine Le Pen had sworn via her relatives that she would be better prepared this time.

And if she was put in difficulty during the first hour on purchasing power and Russia, the candidate of the national rally then pulled herself together, without really managing to shake up the head of state and his balance sheet.

In the end, the two candidates were able to display their differences on a dozen hot topics.

And the French will decide between them on Sunday.

Wages and purchasing power: "shield" against lowering VAT

Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen clung to their respective proposals for incentives to increase salaries and bonuses, each accusing the other of making people believe that the increases will be "automatic".

The leader of the RN defended her proposal to freeze “employer contributions” in the event of an increase of “10% of wages up to 3 times the Smic”.

The Head of State returned to the bonus system paid by companies, which will be tax-exempt up to 6,000 euros.

The two candidates also disagreed on their methods to protect purchasing power, particularly on energy, the first defending the current "shield" and its "food voucher" project, the second advocating a reduction in VAT.

Marine Le Pen explained that she wanted to lower the VAT on energy to 5.5% instead of 20% as well as a 0% VAT on a basket of basic necessities, "as long as inflation is higher than a point to growth,” which she says is the case.

Emmanuel Macron criticized him for wrongly comparing quarterly growth and annual inflation, when in quarterly terms, growth is, he said, higher than inflation.

"So your measure could not apply today," he said.

Russia: Marine Le Pen "solidarity" with Ukraine, Macron accuses her of "depending on Russian power"

Marine Le Pen expressed her “absolute solidarity” with the Ukrainian people in the face of “Russian aggression”.

But Emmanuel Macron accused her of "depending on Russian power" and "on Mr. Putin" for having "taken out a loan from a Russian bank".

The RN continues to repay a loan of 9 million euros to a creditor linked to former Russian soldiers.

"You talk to your banker when you talk about Russia, that's the problem, Madame Le Pen", declared the candidate president, the leader of the RN answering to be "an absolutely and totally free woman".

"Your interests are linked to people close to Russian power."

Macron presses where it hurts by recalling that Marine Le Pen had taken out a loan from the "close to power" bank First Czech Russian Bank in 2015. #debatmacronlepen pic.twitter.com/1S7omJgXRu

— Philippe Berry (@ptiberry) April 20, 2022


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Europe: Le Pen does not want to leave the EU but wants a “Europe of nations”

The outgoing president accused his opponent of "lying about the goods", the far-right candidate considering that he had "never seen French leaders defend the interests of the French" in the EU.

“Do not fall into conspiracy”, launched Marine Le Pen when Emmanuel Macron accused her of wanting “to leave the EU”, which the RN candidate defended herself, ensuring that she wanted a “Europe of nations”.

Pensions: Between 60 and 62 for Le Pen, between 64 and 65 for Macron

Leaving at 64 or 65, as envisaged by Emmanuel Macron, is “deeply unfair” and “absolutely not justified in budgetary terms”, hammered Marine Le Pen who wants to stay “between 60 and 62 years old”.

“I want to keep this treasure that is our pay-as-you-go system,” replied Emmanuel Macron, recalling that he was proposing a sliding system adding four months per year, to reach 65 in 2031.

Teachers: The two candidates in favor of salary increases

Emmanuel Macron has announced that he wants to raise teachers' salaries so that there is "no more career start under 2,000 euros" per month, an increase "conditioned on absolutely nothing" according to the candidate.

This commitment will mean an increase "of around 10%" for teachers at the start of their careers, he said during the debate with Marine Le Pen four days before the second round, without indicating a date.

“The upgrading of teachers began under this five-year term,” he assured.

Marine le Pen, she said she wanted to increase the salaries of teachers by “3% per year”, with an additional half-day of work in primary school, paid in addition.

Taxes: ISF against housing tax

Marine Le Pen attacked the "bad" and "unfair" economic record of Emmanuel Macron, whom she accused of "Mozart of finance", and who assured him of having "protected" from the Covid-19 crisis thanks to to "whatever the cost".

“You talk about tax cuts, you always talk about the big ones and not the small ones”, accused the candidate RN, citing the abolition of the Wealth Tax (ISF).

“It is the (removal of) the housing tax from very far away” which was the biggest tax cut, retorted Macron.

Climate: “Climate-hypocrite” versus “climatosceptic”

Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron displayed their differences on ecology, the first accusing the second of being "climato-hypocritical" and of supporting "the worst of punitive ecology", while she was called "climatosceptic » by lowering the VAT which will « subsidize » fossil fuels.

The RN candidate declared herself in favor of the ecological “transition” but it must be “much slower”.

But for Emmanuel Macron, "there is no exit strategy from fossil fuels that goes through all nuclear" and it is therefore necessary to "invest in renewables".

Safety: “Enwilingness” versus “postures”

The two candidates debated the means of combating insecurity, "a real barbarism" and "wildness", in particular because of "anarchic and massive immigration", according to Marine Le Pen.

While Emmanuel Macron defended security "with means" and not "with postures".

“Me, I have a sense of command: during this five-year term I have kept my commitments, 10,000 police and gendarme posts have been created”, argued Emmanuel Macron.

Sailing: A ban in public space could "create civil war", according to Macron

"I am for the ban on the veil in public space", says Marine Le Pen.

A large part of the young women who put it on cannot do otherwise, those who refuse (...) are accused of being impure" pic.twitter.com/RqNL80wN2T

— Philippe Berry (@ptiberry) April 20, 2022


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Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen had a rough battle at the end of the debate around the veil and secularism, the head of state accusing his opponent of "betraying the French spirit and the Republic".

"I am for the banning of the veil in public space" because "the veil is a uniform imposed by the Islamists" and "a large part of the young women who put it on cannot do otherwise", estimated the candidate RN .

"What you are proposing is a betrayal of the French spirit and of the Republic", retorted Mr. Macron, accusing his opponent of "creating civil war" with this measure.

The final word: A “referendum” election

"April 24 is a referendum for or against what we are," finished the head of state.

Her opponent, she said she wanted to be the president "of common sense", opposing "localism to globalism".

Verdict in three days.

Policy

Presidential 2022: Muscular duel and many punchlines between Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen

Elections

Presidential 2022: “She is always right …” We watched the debate with Marine Le Pen fans

  • Presidential election 2022

  • Emmanuel Macron

  • Marine Le Pen