The Debate

By FRANCE 24 English

The Debate episodes

January 18, 2019 After the Gbagbo trial: What future for the International Criminal Court?
Could we be witnessing the end of international justice as we know it? The acquittal of Ivory Coast's former president Laurent Gbagbo on crimes against humanity charges is just the latest blow for the International Criminal Court. As prosecutors mount an appeal against the ruling that cleared Gbagbo and his former youth wing leader Charles Blé Goudé, we review the strength of a seven-year case and a two-year trial where judges blasted the prosecution for presenting a weak case.
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January 16, 2019 Brexit dismay: No clear path after divorce deal rejection
It started with a referendum. Now, with 72 days to go before the UK is due to exit the European Union, the rest of the EU is trying to make sense of the leadership crisis in London. Theresa May is coming off the biggest parliamentary defeat in centuries for a sitting government and yet the prime minister is expected to survive a vote of no-confidence. So what does the EU do? Wait for London to finally decide what it wants and run the risk of a no-deal Brexit that could cause chaos all around?
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January 15, 2019 'Meaningful vote' and beyond: Judgement day for Theresa May's Brexit deal
We look at the countdown to the "meaningful vote" in the British parliament, as MPs decide whether to back Theresa May's Brexit deal. Many say the question is not whether it passes or fails, but by how much it will fail. If it's tight, May keeps control of the process, for now. If it's a rout, we may see Labour trigger a vote of no-confidence. When all is said and done, how badly do citizens want in... or out?
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January 14, 2019 List your demands: Can Macron's 'National Debate' engage Yellow Vests?
Can France's president find a way to connect with the Yellow Vests? In week ten of a leaderless movement, anyone posing as leader gets rejected. So how does Macron try to create a dialogue? He pens a letter to every citizen and launches The Grand Debate, a town hall-style public forum to list grievances. But already he's drawn red lines, like the refusal to scrap France's wealth tax. What can emerge from these interactions? Can France modernise democracy, in line with the times?
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January 10, 2019 DR Congo's surprise winner: Observers question Felix Tshisekedi's provisional victory
On paper, DR Congo's provisional election results read like a good news story for Africa, with Felix Tshisekedi paving the way for the nation's first-ever peaceful transfer of power since independence from Belgium in 1960. But just how many ballots were counted in the provinces that voted for the other main opposition contender, Martin Fayulu? Is it, as he claims, an electoral coup? After a flawed vote and a protracted ballot count, what to make of an election two years overdue?
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January 09, 2019 Trump's shutdown: How far will the border wall showdown go?
Donald Trump calls it a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul. The US president argues that Congress should agree to spend $5.7 billion for a border wall with Mexico. We review his arguments and ask what’s at the root of his decision to refuse to sign the federal budget and trigger a shutdown that - come the weekend - would be the longest in US history. Trump’s appeal is about migration and identity politics. It’s also a power play with lawmakers in general. Will he lose this battle?
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January 08, 2019 Erdogan's rebuke: Turkey rejects US call to safeguard Syrian Kurdish forces
Is the United States staying or going? First, Donald Trump abruptly decides to pull out of northeast Syria - prompting the resignation of his defence secretary. Next, he dispatches his national security advisor to the region. John Bolton, in order to reassure Israel and the Syrian Kurds backed by Washington, starts to roll back the timeline for a pullout, as he seeks assurances from Ankara to safeguard the Kurdish-led Syrian forces the US has been training in its fight against the IS group.
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January 07, 2019 Yellow Vests: What's the answer? No end in sight to violent deadlock
New Year, same impasse in France. After a Christmas lull, France's Yellow Vest protests again turned violent this past Saturday with viral images of a protester boxing riot police in Paris, the battering of the gates of a government ministry, a house boat restaurant on the Seine set alight, and more violence and destruction in several cities. Why the violence? How do you respond when it's a leaderless movement with no crowd control service and no clear organiser?
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December 28, 2018 Bon appetit? France's changing eating habits
Although the days of the two-hour lunch breaks might be over, France is still associated with fine cuisine, fresh produce and a deep-seated table culture - provided that you're neither poor nor swamped for time. The “Yellow Vest” movement has served as a startling reminder that while parts of the population are talking up organic farming and saving the planet, the majority of French citizens are still struggling to make ends meet. Can you find the time to eat right without breaking the bank?
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December 26, 2018 A whole new world: Then and now, remembering the upheaval of 1919
When world leaders in November gathered under Paris' Arc de Triomphe to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, Donald Trump's late arrival reminded us that the world order is changing and we’re living in a time of upheaval. New powers are emerging, automation is changing the workplace, and we’re facing an unprecedented climate crisis. For some, the change is an opportunity, for others a threat. A century ago, the end of WWI seemed like a chance at a fresh start.
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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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