The Debate

By FRANCE 24 English

The Debate episodes

February 21, 2019 Can the Vatican reform? Pope heads summit on child sex abuse
Can the Catholic Church reform itself? A landmark conference on sex abuse presided by the pope himself marks the latest attempt by the Vatican to hit the reset button. Since the first time the Church addressed the crisis under John Paul II, the floodgates have opened with an ever-growing list of cases and cover-ups. To restore faith, the hierarchy must rethink its culture of secrecy. How open must it become? Is it time to go further and roll back celibacy altogether? What do the faithful want?
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February 20, 2019 Time for a Green New Deal? The argument over energy transition
You've got the slow death of industry, the squeezing of the middle classes, and a population with finite resources available that's still burning through fossil fuels like there's no tomorrow. You need a grand plan... that's what progressive Democrats in Washington claim. We ask if the likes of China and Germany don't already have green New Deals and what Europe as a whole is going to do about it. We also ask about the cost - a cost as big as the plan is grand. How to pay for it?
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February 19, 2019 The resurgence of anti-Semitism: Alarm in France over increasing attacks, violent rhetoric
Is France becoming more anti-Jewish? Or has hate speech become more uninhibited? After some Yellow Vests hurled abuse at Jewish intellectual Alain Finkielkraut, people are rallying in Paris against anti-Semitism. Last year, anti-Semitic incidents rose 74% in France. Is social media enabling hate speech and fostering a culture of violence? Is that violence born from a changing world order, with weaker institutions like trade unions that used to channel grievances and tone down extremes?
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February 18, 2019 After Pakistan, India: Saudi crown prince visits rivals as tensions spiral
A long-planned trip suddenly has Saudi Arabia's crown prince wading into the spiralling storm between India and Pakistan. First stop, Islamabad. The red carpet was rolled out for Mohammed Bin Salman for a state visit where he promised $20 billion in much-needed investment. Next it's on to India, where the prime minister has vowed to avenge "every tear" from last week's worst-ever terror attack in Indian-administered Kashmir. Can MBS really play peacebroker?
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February 14, 2019 What's wrong with Spain? Political gridlock deepens in Madrid and Barcelona
It looks like it's back to the ballot box in Spain, where support for the two traditional centre-left and centre-right blocs has splintered into political gridlock. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's Socialists failed to get their budget bill through parliament. A decade after the financial crisis, voters are turning to new political faces. Meanwhile, Madrid is seen as persecuting separatist Catalan leaders, putting 12 of them on trial. Our panel discusses what's next for Spain.
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February 12, 2019 'Ligue du LOL' scandal: French media rattled by targeting of women and minorities
It started ten years ago. In 2009, the creation of a private Facebook page called the "league of LOL" quickly got out of hand with persistent bullying, pranks and threats targeting mostly young women looking for their big break in journalism. Once the attacks entered the public realm, they took on a life of their own. Since the story broke, the suspensions and sackings keep coming and so do the testimonies. So how much do you police social media? How much have mentalities evolved since 2009?
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February 11, 2019 Iran's revolution, forty years on: The change people wanted?
Iran is marking 40 years since the Revolution. Tehran this Monday is packed with people joining the crowd. Many of the banners pay tribute to Ayatollah Khomenei, who became the icon of the Revolution, and a hate figure for the West. The Shah was overthrown in 1979 after clerics turned against him and inflamed the youth who, just like today, needed jobs. So what do Iranians think of the last 40 years? Are they satisfied with the current situation?
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February 07, 2019 Basta Cosi! France recalls ambassador as row with Italy escalates
For the first time since Italy declared war on France in 1940, Paris has recalled its ambassador for consultations. The French denounce "outrageous statements" and unprecedented attacks. Migration, France's role in Libya and Africa, EU budgetary rules - the list is long. The last straw: Five Star leaders boasting online about meeting Yellow Vests in France. But is France overreacting? How far will the row go? What impact will this have on Europe when citizens vote for a new EU parliament in May?
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February 06, 2019 Trump's State of the Union: New Congress, new chapter for US politics
What does US politics look like in 2019? Female Democratic lawmakers wore white for the first State of the Union address since the opposition took the House of Representatives in last autumn's midterm elections. Officially, it was in tribute to the 100th anniversary of women earning the right to vote in the United States. Suffragettes at the time protested in white.
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February 05, 2019 Venezuela's next battleground: Maduro rejects humanitarian aid convoys
Will humanitarian aid prove a desperately needed lifeline for Venezuelans - or the next battleground in the standoff that's got the whole planet picking sides? While the Trump administration cuts oil payments and claims all options are on the table to force Nicolas Maduro to stage fair elections, it has also announced an aid corridor through US allies Brazil and Colombia. Is Maduro right to reject that aid? What happens next?
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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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