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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| French rivals meet in TV debate | French rivals meet in TV debate |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The two candidates vying to be French president are going head-to-head in a highly anticipated TV debate. | The two candidates vying to be French president are going head-to-head in a highly anticipated TV debate. |
| The face-off between conservative frontrunner Nicolas Sarkozy and Socialist Segolene Royal is expected to be seen by up to 20 million people. | The face-off between conservative frontrunner Nicolas Sarkozy and Socialist Segolene Royal is expected to be seen by up to 20 million people. |
| The two-hour debate is being screened simultaneously by France's two biggest television channels. | |
| The debate is seen as a decisive battle in swaying undecided voters ahead of Sunday's second-round vote. | The debate is seen as a decisive battle in swaying undecided voters ahead of Sunday's second-round vote. |
| Mr Sarkozy won 31.2% and Ms Royal won 25.9% in the 22 April poll. | |
| On the attack | |
| In the first hour of the debate, Ms Royal attacked Mr Sarkozy's record in government and challenged him on law and order issues. | |
| The former interior minister defended himself, saying the figures showed violent crime had fallen. | |
| The rivals also debated public sector reform and employment. Mr Sarkozy said the 35-hour week, which was brought in by the socialists, had been a disaster for the economy. France needed to work more, he said. | |
| He also criticised Ms Royal's pension policy as vague. | |
| I don't think the French choose a president on the lone impression that they'll have after a two-hour debate Nicolas Sarkozy Rivals' policies examined Ghettos mobilise for vote | |
| Mr Sarkozy and Ms Royal are hoping to win votes from the 18% of voters who backed the third-placed candidate, centrist Francois Bayrou, as well as those who supported far-right nationalist Jean-Marie Le Pen. | |
| The TV audience is expected to be larger than that which watched France lose to Italy in the football World Cup final, says the BBC's Caroline Wyatt in Paris. | The TV audience is expected to be larger than that which watched France lose to Italy in the football World Cup final, says the BBC's Caroline Wyatt in Paris. |
| Viewers will be watching for memorable one-liners - or gaffes. | Viewers will be watching for memorable one-liners - or gaffes. |
| Mr Sarkozy - a lawyer with five years in government to hone his oration skills - must avoid appearing over-confident, our correspondent says. | Mr Sarkozy - a lawyer with five years in government to hone his oration skills - must avoid appearing over-confident, our correspondent says. |
| She adds that Ms Royal - often accused of being stiff and lacking warmth during the early part of her campaign - has appeared far more relaxed and confident since her first round victory. | She adds that Ms Royal - often accused of being stiff and lacking warmth during the early part of her campaign - has appeared far more relaxed and confident since her first round victory. |
| However, the Socialist candidate has made gaffes while live on air in the past - she was caught out when one interviewer asked her how many nuclear submarines France had, guessing one when the correct answer was four. | However, the Socialist candidate has made gaffes while live on air in the past - she was caught out when one interviewer asked her how many nuclear submarines France had, guessing one when the correct answer was four. |
| 'Decisive' moment | 'Decisive' moment |
| Former President Valery Giscard d'Estaing was author of the put-down, "You don't have a monopoly of the heart", in the 1974 presidential election debate with his rival Francois Mitterrand. | Former President Valery Giscard d'Estaing was author of the put-down, "You don't have a monopoly of the heart", in the 1974 presidential election debate with his rival Francois Mitterrand. |
| He says that debate helped him win election, and predicts that the Sarkozy-Royal showdown will be "decisive". | He says that debate helped him win election, and predicts that the Sarkozy-Royal showdown will be "decisive". |
| But other commentators say more than 80% of French people have already decided how they are going to vote. | But other commentators say more than 80% of French people have already decided how they are going to vote. |
| Mr Sarkozy played down the significance of encounter, telling French radio: "Every moment is decisive, but I'm not one of those people who dramatise the significance of the debate to that point." | Mr Sarkozy played down the significance of encounter, telling French radio: "Every moment is decisive, but I'm not one of those people who dramatise the significance of the debate to that point." |
| He added: "I don't think the French choose a president on the lone impression that they'll have after a two-hour debate." | He added: "I don't think the French choose a president on the lone impression that they'll have after a two-hour debate." |
| The last head-to-head presidential-race debate - Jacques Chirac versus Socialist Lionel Jospin in 1995 - drew 17 million viewers. | The last head-to-head presidential-race debate - Jacques Chirac versus Socialist Lionel Jospin in 1995 - drew 17 million viewers. |
| Mr Chirac won the first of his two terms that year. In 2002, he refused to debate with Mr Le Pen. | Mr Chirac won the first of his two terms that year. In 2002, he refused to debate with Mr Le Pen. |