China News Agency, Paris, April 21 (Reporter Li Yang) French President Macron, who is seeking re-election, and the far-right party "National League" presidential candidate Marine Le Pen held a TV debate on the 2022 French presidential election on the evening of the 20th local time. Focus on economic and livelihood issues.

　　The debate started at 9:00 p.m. local time on the 20th (3:00 a.m. Beijing time on the 21st) and was divided into 8 themes as planned, namely purchasing power, retirement system reform, international affairs, European affairs, security, immigration, education and the environment.

The evening's debate was clearly focused on French domestic issues, leaving little time for international issues and foreign policy.

The debate continued until 11:50 p.m., with a total duration of nearly 3 hours.

　　The issue of purchasing power is the issue that the French people are most concerned about. Le Pen first spoke on the issue, criticizing Macron for cutting benefits and saying that she will reduce the energy value-added tax from 20% to 5.5%, and exempt young people under 30 years old. Personal Income Tax.

She believes her related plans will increase French household incomes by 150 to 200 euros per month.

　　Macron, responding to Le Pen, accused her of intentionally ignoring unemployment, which he has done well over the past five years as president.

Macron also reminded Le Pen that the president does not have the power to raise wages in private companies, which is the job of company managers.

Macron also defended the current official cap on natural gas and electricity prices as an effective measure against inflation.

　　Retirement reform is a major focus of the debate. Macron further elaborated on his retirement reform plan, saying that officials do not want more taxes or more debt, so he wants people to work more.

He currently plans to move the statutory retirement age from 62 to 65 by 2031.

He also reiterated plans to raise the minimum monthly pension to 1,100 euros from the current 980 euros.

Le Pen called the reforms "unjust" and claimed she wanted to allow French people to retire "at the age of 60 to 62."

　　Le Pen confirmed during the debate that she would seek to ban the wearing of the hijab in public in France; Macron said that, in his view, the hijab would not be banned in public.

He warned that if Le Pen's measures were implemented, she would spark a "civil war" in France.

　　Macron and Le Pen each stick to their existing positions on EU issues.

Le Pen believes that France "cannot defend its own interests" in the EU; Macron said that the EU should be further strengthened, and pointed out that Le Pen's idea of ​​reforming the EU actually means "leaving the EU".

　　In his closing remarks at the end of the debate, Macron called the election a "referendum for or against the European Union, secularism and republicanism".

Le Pen reiterated the need to protect the French social model and give the French people "priority" in France.

　　According to the Elabe poll released in the early morning of the 21st, 59% of the audience think Macron is more convincing in this debate, and 39% of the audience think Le Pen is more convincing.

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