A televised debate on the regional elections in PACA between the leading candidates was certainly enticing. An hour and a half later, disappointment prevails. In reality, we will eventually have to admit that the format of the televised debate is absolutely not suited for democratic education.
We were subjected to a tangle of overly general questions and evasive answers, peremptory statements for insiders, and carefully pre-prepared soundbites. The presence of four personalities with different communication goals dooms the debate from the outset to being a succession of duels, all the more inaudible as they are variable in nature. Especially in front of viewers who know nothing about the real regional competencies.
In this game, Christophe Castaner did not underperform. Nor did Sophie Camart. They attempted to convey messages that were all the more difficult to distill as they were not demagogic. Lacking notoriety, the broadcast at least helped them become better known.
TV is great for soccer, Miss France, and Koh-Lanta… but not really for these so-called debates that ultimately demobilize.
by Patrick Mottard
