French Election: Hollande, Sarkozy Lock Horns in Final TV debate

May 02, 2012 from Al Jazeera English

French President Nicolas Sarkozy debated his Socialist rival Francois Hollande in a testy television duel that was billed as Sarkozy's last chance to save his chances of re-election on Sunday. Sarkozy went into the grueling 2.5-hour television debate on Wednesday evening as the rank outsider. Polls show Hollande, who led the first round of the election on April 22, winning Sunday's run-off with around 54 per cent of the vote. Al Jazeera Andrew Simmons reports.

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Nicolas Sarkozy

Nicolas Sarkozy is a French politician who served as the 23rd President of France from 16 May 2007 until 15 May 2012. Before his presidency, he was leader of the Union for a Popular Movement. Under Jacques Chirac's presidency he served as Minister of the Interior in Jean-Pierr... Explore this topic

François Hollande

François Gérard Georges Nicolas Hollande is the 24th and current President of France and Co-Prince of Andorra. He was previously the First Secretary of the French Socialist Party from 1997 to 2008, and the Deputy of the National Assembly of France for Corrèze's 1st Constituenc... Explore this topic

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France is a semi-presidential representative democratic republic, in which the President of France is head of state and the Prime Minister of France is the head of government, and there is a pluriform, multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legisla... Explore this topic

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The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. The PS is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the centre-right Union for a Popular Movement. The party replaced the earli... Explore this topic

Union for a Popular Movement (UMP)

The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, being one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the centre-left Socialist Party. The UMP was formed in 2002 as a merger of several centre-right parties under Presi... Explore this topic

Debate

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France, officially the French Republic, is a unitary semi-presidential republic located mostly in Western Europe, with several overseas regions and territories. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine ... Explore this topic

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The President of the French Republic colloquially referred to in English as the President of France, is the head of state, supreme commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces and holder of the republics' constitutions, the president's powers, functions and duties, and their ... Explore this topic

Economy of France

This article addresses the current economic situation of France. For historical information, see Economic history of France. Economy of French Republic 200pxLa Défense is a major business district in ParisRank 5th (nominal) / 9th (PPP)Currency 1 euro (€1) = 100 centFiscal year... Explore this topic

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Nicolas Sarkozy

François Hollande

French presidential election, 2012