I’m in the library here at the Manhattan campus and I should be finishing up with my exam studies for my finance final in a couple of hours, but instead, I’m watching the French presidential debate live on France 2 between Segolene Royal and Nicolas Sarkozy.  The format goes something like this:

Two hours, two moderators, the candidates sit across from each other, and each time one candidate speaks, the timer starts counting upwards.  Every couple of minutes, the moderators interrupt to give the other candidate an opportunity to speak and every once in a while, the subject of debate is changed.  It’s that simple and that civilised.

La Republique Francaise

The advantage of a format like this is that it forces ideas to be shared, rather than stump speeches and requires a true debate of ideas.  The moderators are there to move the debate along, rather than play investigative reporters.

What I find most interesting is that the underdog, Segolene Royal, has been able to come out fighting against the roughened Sarkozy, rather than succumbing to the inherent experience that Sarkozy brings from his years in the National Assembly.  In a battle of images, Sarkozy has not cracked the slightest of a smile in the two hours of debate, while Royal has managed to bring her “feminine charm” to the table while demonstrating a knowledge of all the issues.  This, irrespective of the fact that many French voters and political analysists believe that she promises much, with no way to finance the expected results.

The French voters head to the polls this Sunday to choose a new president for the first time in 12 years.  If the debate is any indicator though, both candidates will come out of the gates with a fighting chance.  Sarkozy has been calm, Royal has been agitated… As the media has been saying, whatever the outcome of Sunday night, fate of the republic will be different this time around.

At 3:30am EDT next Wednesday, I’ll be touching down at Gatwick Airport in London…