FRANCE: Popular Paris sports bar turns over its screens to the French presidential debate as Socialist supporters pour in

Record ID: 593336

  • Title: FRANCE: Popular Paris sports bar turns over its screens to the French presidential debate as Socialist supporters pour in
  • Date: 3rd May 2012
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (MAY 2, 2012) (REUTERS) EXTERIORS BAR 2 VARIOUS OF SPORTS BAR, SCREENS AND CROWDS (SOUNDBITE) (French) SOCIALIST SUPPORTER JOANNA GONNORD SAYING: "One can really see that Hollande has Sarkozy's capacity, and even overtakes him. And it's a debate that I don't think has been won by Sarkozy." VARIOUS SOCIALIST SUPPORTERS, FLAG AND SCREENS (SOUNDBITE) (French) SOCIALIST SUPPORTER YOUSSEF SAYING: "For me, Nicolas Sarkozy is on the defensive. Unlike Hollande who is offensive, he isn't presenting too many arguments. Hollande is highlighting the bad record of Nicolas Sarkozy." VARIOUS BAR, SCREENS, PEOPLE WATCHING (SOUNDBITE) (French) SOCIALIST SUPPORTER CLEMENT LAZARIES SAYING: "One can see that he (Hollande) is more serene and more clear on what he is proposing. So he's got a the real stature of a president, as you can hear. It's going well and I think he's going to win the debate tonight. BAR IN NORTHERN PARIS VARIOUS INTERIORS SCREENS, PEOPLE WATCHING
  • Embargoed: 18th May 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAEFHOWGCRSDR14XIRPAJAQEVKB
  • Story Text: French Socialist supporters gathered in a popular Paris sports bar on Wednesday (May 2) to cheer on Francois Hollande as he clashed in a live primetime television debate with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
    The debate, which ran into extra time, ran on most French networks and was the high point of the election campaign which has seen Hollande maintain his lead over Sarkozy.
    And on Wednesday night, Socialists could smell the scent of success.
    "One can really see that Hollande has Sarkozy's capacity, and even overtakes him. And it's a debate that I don't think has been won by Sarkozy," said supporter Joanna Gonnord.
    Sarkozy, a fearsome debater, clashed with Hollande over a range of subjects ranging from unemployment to Afghanistan. Some of his supporters voiced relief that Hollande was holding his ground against the more pugnacious Sarkozy.
    "One can see that he (Hollande) is more serene and more clear on what he is proposing. So he's got the real stature of a president," said Clement Lazaries.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register