Wednesday's Debate Might Turn Tables in French Presidential Race, Expert Says

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) - French President Emmanuel Macron and right-wing leader Marine Le Pen will face off in a crucial prime-time debate on Wednesday night that might swing the presidential election either way, an expert told Sputnik.

Millions of French are expected to be glued to the screens to watch the two finalists. The debate will be their only face-to-face encounter ahead of this Sunday's runoff after an inconclusive first round had Macron’s lead over Le Pen in the single digits. Polls currently put the centrist at 55-56% against Le Pen’s 44-46%.

Pierre-Antoine Plaquevent, a Parisian author and political analyst with the Strategika think-tank, said many experts believe the televised duel will be a make-or-break moment for the candidates, while some were of the opinion that its effect on voters would fade away in a matter of days.

"For me, the debate mostly reinforces the opinion and the sociological perception of the voters for each candidate and does not represent such a game-changer. Still, many experts believe — and it is possible — that the debate can really make the next president and 'turn the tables'", he admitted.

Marine Le Pen, French presidential candidate and leader of the political party the National Front, during a news conference following the first round of the presidential election.

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The first round of voting had an abstention rate of 28%. Macron and Le Pen will try to woo the undecided and supporters of candidates who dropped out after the first round, in particular the left-wing voters of third-place Jean-Luc Melenchon.

"Still, 16% and more will vote for Le Pen and 46% of his voters are undecided. Will the call for a ‘cordon sanitaire’ around Marine Le Pen function this time? That is an important question. Many voters on the left and right seem to be engaged in an anti-Macron crusade and in this case the victory for Macron is not a done deal," Plaquevent said.

Thierry Mariani, a member of the European Parliament from Le Pen's National Rally, told Sputnik that the politician was gearing up for a rematch this Wednesday after losing to Macron by a wide margin in 2017.

"Marine Le Pen, who was personally wounded by the failed debate of 2017, is preparing herself for the debate and resting at home. I am sure she will erase the bad impression left by the 2017 debate," he said.

Plaquevent said Le Pen was perceived as too aggressive and less credible on the euro and economic issues than the younger Macron during their first face-off five years ago. A candidate who loses their temper is generally considered as having lost the debate. For example, Nicolas Sarkozy won in 2007 after Segolene Royal famously admitted that she was angry.