The Debate

By FRANCE 24 English

The Debate episodes

July 21, 2020 United States of Europe? EU recovery plan pools borrowing
Will July 21, 2020 go down in history as Europe's Hamilton moment with the EU pooling debt among member states? The agreement gives Brussels the never-before-seen power to borrow hundreds of billions of euros on world markets and distribute it to member states. François Picard's panel argues over the significance of the moment and the compromises made during four days of marathon negotiations: is the final amount the right amount? What about the watering down of strings attached to going green and the rule of law?
46 min
July 20, 2020 EU in the middle? US, China & the battle over data protection
The battle over the data in your computer is on. Amid growing momentum for a US ban on China-owned TikTok on pushback against Huawei's rollout of 5G, now come privacy concerns from a different quarter. The European Court of Justice has struck down the Privacy Shield agreement under which Europe's information can be stored on US servers, a deal worked out in the wake of Edward Snowden's revelations about Washington's mass spying on users. Where does it now leave the likes of Facebook?
47 min
July 16, 2020 Is Mali back to the brink? Pressure on president adds to regional turmoil
Why has the tide turned against Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita? The central authority in Bamako finds itself arguably weaker than at any time since 2013, when French intervention stopped radical insurgents trying to swoop down from the north. Most recently, there have been massacres of both soldiers and civilians throughout the Sahel. From the March kidnapping of Malian opposition leader Soumaila Cissé to deadly protests in the capital and the role of influential imam Mahmoud Dicko, François Picard's panel looks at why the latest crisis has France and the entire region on edge.
41 min
July 16, 2020 A green and better recovery… for all? Global South's challenges after Covid-19
Will post-pandemic recovery plans make the world a better place or simply accelerate the inequality gap between North and South? Stimulus plans in Europe, the United States and at the G20 feature dizzying sums to save jobs and industry, but what about that promise of a healthier way of trading with the likes of the Indian sub-continent and Africa? FRANCE 24 and Deutsche Welle team up for a special edition that asks the hard questions put to the United Nations conference on "Building Back Better": how to restore livelihoods in a more equitable... and sustainable way?
43 min
July 14, 2020 Bastille Day like no other: Beyond France's tribute to essential workers
As France's medical workers are honoured at a scaled-down Bastille Day ceremony in Paris, the nation enters a new phase. As the number of Covid-19 cases starts to slowly creep up again, François Picard's panel endorses plans to impose face masks in public indoor spaces and discusses a deal to increase pay for doctors and nurses. Did Emmanuel Macron strike the right tone? Does his new government have a handle on the kinds of reforms needed to truly bolster a long-neglected healthcare sector?
44 min
July 13, 2020 Tale of two Polands? Tight result, bitter divide in presidential race
Which way now for Poland? After a bitter campaign comes a tight win for incumbent Andrzej Duda of the ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS) over centrist Warsaw mayor Rafal Trzaskowski. François Picard's panel asks about the deep divide between liberal cities and Catholic conservative small towns at odds over what some Duda supporters call a "civilisational" battle over LGBTQ rights, access to state media and an overhaul of the judiciary that's got Brussels calling on the PiS to respect EU standards for the rule of law.
45 min
July 09, 2020 Macron's divisive reshuffle: Casting error or force for re-election?
Protests are set for Paris again, with medical staff calling for a better deal. The complaints of the frontline staff in the coronavirus pandemic put into sharp focus the challenges facing the new French government. But is the new team fit for the task? Prime Minister Jean Castex has defended the selection, in particular his choice of interior minister, who is still facing an active investigation over alleged rape. The new justice minister is also making headlines for the wrong reasons. These are two high-profile cases, but how many of the new team are the right pick for their post?
44 min
July 08, 2020 What herd immunity? New Covid-19 clusters trigger lockdowns
When will the worst be behind us? More than six months after coronavirus first made news, new outbreaks are forcing returns to lockdown everywhere from Australia to Spain. An endless nightmare or the normal course of a pandemic in the age of globalisation? Is the mortality rate dropping or not? How to juggle the balance between lives and livelihoods?
41 min
July 07, 2020 All over for Hong Kong? China orders corporations to comply with new sedition laws
The ink's barely dry on Beijing's new National Security Law for Hong Kong and already it's all coming to a head. US tech giants Facebook and Google are among those announcing they're "pausing" their co-operation with Hong Kong authorities after Monday's announcement that police in that former British territory have been granted vastly expanded powers to conduct warrantless raids and surveillance. François Picard's panel reflects on the cautious silence of other corporate giants and in particular the banks.
44 min
July 06, 2020 Second Act: Will Macron reshuffle set a new course?
A reset button to propel Emmanuel Macron to re-election in 2022 or does the naming of the unheralded Jean Castex as prime minister make it even lonelier at the top in France?
43 min

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A live debate on the topic of the day, with four guests. From Monday to Thursday at 7:10pm Paris time.

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