France’s two remaining presidential contenders met Wednesday night for a harsh debate that most observers suggest will not change the dynamics of the race. President Nicolas Sarkozy and Socialist Party Challenger Francois Hollande accused each other of arrogance and lying while laying out different visions for addressing the economic crisis.Hollande argued that it was time to turn economic policy towards growth and away from austerity. He promised stimulus and targeted policies aimed at addressing youth unemployment. He also accused the incumbent president of “blaming everyone else” for the anemic economy. For his part, Sarkozy attacked excess regulation and France’s 35 hour work week. He added that the Socialist Party had no serious plan to address the deficit or improve competitiveness. He said France would resemble Greece and Spain under Mr. Hollande’s policies. “Talk about yourself, talk about your own politics,” responded Hollande.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=99151