The Debate

By FRANCE 24 English

The Debate episodes

October 18, 2022 Figurehead prime minister? Liz Truss and the UK's political instability
We knew about the figurehead king. But does Britain now have a figurehead prime minister? Liz Truss's grip on power is slipping by the day. A U-turn on unfunded tax cuts for the rich will most likely not be enough to repair the damage. Is she really reduced to the role of prime minister in name only? And is she the problem or the symptom of the problem?
45 min
October 17, 2022 No stopping Xi? China's leadership to further bolster president's powers
A strongman who is stronger than ever, or is this the point where Xi Jinping goes too far? A third term for China's president is sure to be a rubber stamped at a 20th Communist Party Congress that will further cement his stature as the most powerful Chinese leader since Mao Zedong. We ask how Xi got here and whether he is overextending.
44 min
October 13, 2022 One month and counting: Can Iran's regime quell the youth-driven protest movement?
Gunfire and tanks, teenage girls detained in psychiatric wards, and the Internet blocked - yet from the outside, Iran's nationwide anti-regime protests seem to be gaining momentum one month after 22-year old Mahsa Amini died at the hands of the morality police.
44 min
October 12, 2022 Should Saudi Arabia worry? Biden warns of consequences over OPEC+ oil cuts
“There will be consequences,” Joe Biden warned Saudi Arabia after Riyadh sided with Russia and other OPEC+ nations to cut oil production. What type of consequences are Biden referring to? For their part, Gulf states argue they are not trying to bankroll on the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine, but prop up a price of crude threatened by the spectre of a global recession and slowing demand.
47 min
October 11, 2022 Victory at any price? Putin targets energy security in Ukraine escalation
What if we do not follow the money? Seen through western eyes, the dark art of world domination can be shrouded in ideology but must never be bad for business. Does Russia's president follow that logic? The Kremlin has warned that Monday's targeting of major urban centers was "only a first step". How might G7 nations respond to a Vladimir Putin who is ready to cut off his own revenue streams when targeting energy infrastructure?
45 min
October 10, 2022 How far will it escalate? Russia targets Ukrainian cities after Kerch bridge bombing
How far will the war in Ukraine escalate? Russian missiles have rained over Ukrainian cities in the wake of the weekend bombing of the Kerch Strait bridge. Our panel of guests discuss the latest developments and the potential response from both Kyiv and the West.
46 min
October 06, 2022 Iran's youth rise up: Can women's rights movement lead to change?
Call it Act Two of Iran's protest movement. Teenagers and in particular teenage girls are defying Iran's repressive theocracy. Their daring is contagious. Week Three of the movement has seen fewer mass demonstrations than during the initial outrage over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police. Instead, we're seeing more targeted acts of protests, even strikes.
44 min
October 05, 2022 No longer the unthinkable? Putin repeats nuclear threat as Russia retreats in Ukraine
What happens when the people no longer believe their own leaders? With a stroke of the pen, Vladimir Putin annexed Russian-held parts of Ukraine even as those territories shrink in real time. As the casualties mount and amid the blowback against mobilisation, what will this Russian president do if he keeps losing on the battlefield? How does a cornered nuclear-armed strongman react?
46 min
October 04, 2022 Coup after coup: After Mali, pro-Russia sentiment stoked in Burkina Faso
The whole region knows the drill by now. Dateline Ouagadougou. If you are watching images of pro-junta demonstrators protesting the visit of West African mediators looking for rule-of-law guarantees from their new interlocutors after a coup, there's no need to reach for the remote control as this is not a re-run. The capital of Burkina Faso just experienced its second coup in eight months, once again following a rout by an emboldened jihadist insurgency.
46 min
October 03, 2022 Forget the polls: Bolsonaro surge forces Lula into Brazil run-off
Brazil's pollsters got it wrong, very wrong. Not only did far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro rob left-wing predecessor Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of a first-round knockout, he can also boast upset wins for key allies in gubernatorial and congressional races. Next up is the October 30 presidential run-off, where Lula still boasts a sizeable five-point lead, but where the momentum undoubtedly is with his rival.
44 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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