French Green candidates show few differences ahead of party primaries

French Green candidates Delphine Batho, Jean-Marc Governatori, Yannick Jadot, Eric Piolle and Sandrine Rousseau went head-to-head in a televised debate on Sunday – less than two weeks ahead of a primary election meant to appoint the official green candidate for next year’s presidential election.

Meeting for the first of three televised debates ahead of the primary – which will take place online from 16-29 September –  candidates discussed their vision of the ecological transition, nuclear power and secularism.

Discussions ended up being calm as candidates strove to display harmony and avoid personal attacks, despite their differences. Candidates agreed on the necessity to phase out nuclear energy but disagreed on the speed and scope of the measure. All candidates except Governatori defended the right to blasphemy.

On the ways to achieve the ecological transition, Batho insisted on the need to decrease production, while Rousseau proposed to tax businesses more heavily for their carbon emissions and Piolle called for an effective polluter-pays system.

Viewed as a potential favourite for the primaries, Jadot called for “massive investments” into energy efficiency and renewable energies.

All candidates also expressed their wish to change French governance and institutions to further democratise decision-making processes.

Some 30,000 citizens have so far registered for voting in the upcoming primary. Those still interested have until 12 September to register in order to cast their vote.

(Magdalena Pistorius | EURACTIV.fr)