The first important moment came in the fifth minute, when Marine Le Pen was speechless for a while. Until then, she had been stuttering, seeking support in the debate with President Emmanuel Macron. They met as they did five years ago in front of television cameras to convince French voters before the second round of the presidential election. In 2017, Le Pen humiliated herself in a television studio, was affected and hysterical, throwing up her hands. The television debate sank her and probably contributed to her defeat with the then lesser-known Macron. She was to learn from the lost debate, and according to the people from her immediate area, to whom the Guardian newspaper refers, she has been preparing for this performance for the last five years. Compared to the debate in 2017, she looked more confident, more confident, less nervous. However, rhetoric was not enough for Macron. Crimea, Putin and Ukraine From the beginning, Le Pen tried to work in a balanced way, but the former Minister of Economy corrected her in the first topic of purchasing power, an area that Le Pen regularly mentions. “You didn’t respond to any of my comments,” Macron replied. “But that’s normal, because I don’t think you have the answer. I want to tell you that what you said is in fact wrong, “he told her about France’s energy dependence on the European market. It was also the first time Macron had reacted arrogantly. This is also a quality for which the French president is often criticized. During the 150-minute debate, he sometimes took a defensive stance as he crossed his arms over his chest or turned to the moderators of the debate with raised eyebrows in Le Pen’s reactions. Both candidates jumped during the debate. This was most pronounced during the war in Ukraine. Le Pen condemned the conflict in Ukraine, but also said she was against European sanctions. “The only sanction I disagree with is This article is the exclusive content for subscribers to Diary N. Are you a subscriber? Sign in