Seven leading candidates for the French presidential election held their first debate on Thursday at the Roland-Garros stadium in Paris. Organized by France's largest employers' federation, the event took place eight months before the 2027 election to succeed President Emmanuel Macron, who has served the maximum two consecutive terms.
The candidates battled it out over a range of economic issues, including taxes, pensions, labor costs, and the country's swelling public debt. While the participants agreed that France is currently experiencing economic trouble, they differed sharply in their proposed solutions, leading to heated discussions.
Much of the debate was consumed by bickering over how to manage the national debt. A far-left proposal by Mélenchon to cancel a portion of the debt sparked significant tension, though the proposal received backing from prominent French banker Matthieu Pigasse.