The Debate

By FRANCE 24 English

The Debate episodes

July 18, 2017 Tightening the screws: The two faces of Xi Jinping's China
He's already China's most powerful president in decades, so why does Xi Jinping seem to be tightening his grip even further? The strict measures include the treatment of Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo in his dying days, last Friday's sidelining of four Hong Kong legislators on the heels of President Xi's visit there and tighter controls over the internet. And now there's the purge of rising Communist Party star, Sun Zhengcai, leader of Chongqing. What's going on in the halls of power? Produced by Charles WENTE, Theodora LOULOUDIS and Christopher DAVIS.
46 min
July 17, 2017 Downward spiral: How to break Venezuela's impasse?
In Venezuela, the downward spiral seems unstoppable. On Sunday, the opposition organised a plebiscite, drawing a mass turnout and a resounding "no" to constitutional change. After months of street protests that have left at least 90 dead, President Maduro is pressing on. So does this lead to outright civil war? At what point is it the international community's responsibility to step up the pressure? How do neighbours respect a nation's sovereignty while coming together to stop an implosion? Produced by Daniel BARNEY, Ivana SCATOLA and Christopher DAVIS.
45 min
July 13, 2017 Trump in Paris: America's new place in the world
It's a two-day Parisian getaway that includes dinner and a show. After getting down to business at the Elysée Palace, Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron are off to dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant at the Eiffel Tower before the US president stands as guest of honour at the reviewing stand of Friday's Bastille Day military parade. It's an unlikely agenda when you remember that hostile handshake when they first met a month ago at the G7 summit. What do these two leaders have in common? Produced by Michele BARBERO, Alessandro XENOS, Christopher DAVIS.
38 min
July 12, 2017 Tillerson to the Rescue: US Secretary of State in Qatar Crisis Mediation
Can Rex Tillerson's first big mediation effort bear fruit? The new US Secretary of State is trying to play peacemaker between Qatar and a quartet of angry Saudi-led neighbours. Qatar has signed a memorandum of understanding pledging to cooperate in the fight against terrorism. "Not enough," say the Saudis. If Tillerson's going to have a shot at diffusing tensions, he’ll need support from his boss, who so far has seemed to side with Saudi Arabia. Produced by Michele BARBERO, François WIBAUX and Laure FOURQUET.
47 min
July 11, 2017 Olympic Bids: Are the Games still worth hosting?
The Olympics look set to return to Paris for the first time in a century when the International Olympic Committee in September ratifies the decision to award the Games to both the French capital and Los Angeles, one city getting the 2024 Games, the other 2028. Why cut short the bidding for the next Olympics? Where did the Hamburgs, Bostons, and Budapests go? They dropped out long before the finish line, not for lack of Olympic spirit but because of worry about the cost. Are they really worth it? Produced by Michele BARBERO, François WIBAUX and Christopher DAVIS.
46 min
July 10, 2017 After Mosul: Winning the peace in Iraq
Iraqis are celebrating the liberation of Mosul from Islamic State group militants after three years of occupation. But the retaking of Iraq's second city comes at a very high cost: Many lives have been lost and trust has been broken between the Sunni, Shiite, Kurdish and Yazidi communities. FRANCE 24 looks at how one of the world's oldest cities can rebound, and what role Baghdad will play. Produced by Michele BARBERO, Alessandro XENOS, Christopher DAVIS.
47 min
July 06, 2017 Italy's cry for help: What's Europe's answer to the migrant crisis?
Last week, overwhelmed Italy threatened to shut its border. That forced a crisis meeting of European Union interior ministers to try to impose a long-promised sharing of the burden when it comes to refugees and migrants who continue to aim for Europe's shores. Two years after the deal with Turkey to close the Balkan route, what's the right response to another summer of deadly tragedy? Produced by Daniel BARNEY, Alessandro XENOS, Christopher DAVIS.
47 min
July 05, 2017 Qatar Diplomatic Crisis: Now the deadline has passed, what next?
As the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain gather to discuss the next steps with regard to the continuing stand-off with Qatar, a country they accuse - amongst other things - of supporting terrorism, we ask: is Qatar entirely innocent of the charges it faces? And what happens now that the deadline for their demands of Qatar has been, gone, been extended, and expired again? Could this crisis escalate further? Produced by Yi SONG, Jessica HOWARD-JOHNSTON and Christopher DAVIS.
46 min
July 04, 2017 North Korea Missile Threat: Old problems, new solutions?
Early on Tuesday morning, North Korean state media announced that the secretive Communist country had for the very first time successfully test-launched an intercontinental ballistic missile, which experts call a "game changer" as it could potentially strike the United States mainland. There has been a chorus of condemnation, but since everything else seems to have failed, is it time for a totally new approach to this decades-old problem? Produced by Charles WENTE, François WIBAUX and Christopher DAVIS.
48 min
July 03, 2017 The 'Sun President': Macron sets out five-year plan at Versailles Palace
The French President Emmanuel Macron has given an address to both houses of parliament outlining his roadmap for the next five years. He chose the opulent Palace of Versailles for this state-of-the-union-style speech, raising eyebrows among some of the opposition and press who called the ceremony "monarchical", while others drew comparisons with Napoleon himself. What messages did President Macron want to get across to the French public? What was this grand ceremony in aid of? Produced by Charles WENTE, Christopher DAVIS and François WIBAUX.
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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