VIDEO. European elections: “Little telegraph operator of the Kremlin”, Raphaël Glucksmann and Jordan Bardella argue in the middle of the debate

Raphaël Glucksmann et Jordan Bardella. CAPTURE FRANCE 2

"Surrender Party", "little Kremlin telegraph operator", "handbag fight" : Raphaël Glucksmann and Jordan Bardella engaged in a heated exchange of arms around Russia on Tuesday during the last televised European debate.

"You are in favor of the European Union financing Putin's war machine to the tune of one billion euros per day", launched the head of the PS/Place publique list to his rival from the National Rally, hostile to energy sanctions against Russia.

"I am not in favor of France becoming a co-belligerent. War is serious!", replied on France 2 and France inter Jordan Bardella, in reference to Western arms deliveries to Ukraine.

🗣️ "Vous incarnez le parti de la capitulation face à Vladimir Poutine" lance Raphaël Glucksmann (PS) à Jordan Bardella, lors du grand débat des #Européennes2024.

En réponse, la tête de liste du Rassemblement national réclame "plus de hauteur que cette bataille de sac à main." pic.twitter.com/tspQocLo4V

— franceinfo (@franceinfo) June 4, 2024

Raphaël Glucksmann then accused the RN of having "applauded" at the annexation of Crimea by Russia and MEP Bardella for not having voted for a resolution condemning the Russian Wagner militia "which attacked our soldiers" in Africa.

"You dare to talk to me about interference"

The president of the national gathering reproached him in return for "'yelling on a subject which deserves a little more height than this handbag battle space" .

"This is the fundamental divergence between the party of defeat and capitulation in the face of Vladimir Putin that you embody and the party of resistance that I embody me, hammered the candidate on the left.

"You are not resisting at all, your group is corrupt and financed by Qatar", then said to him the RN candidate in reference to an investigation targeting the former socialist vice-president of the European Parliament Eva Keili.

"You have on your list the Kremlin's little telegraph operator", the well-known MEP Thierry Mariani for his pro-Kremlin positions, "you dare to talk to me about interference", replied Raphaël Glucksmann.

Five days before the European elections, this was the last debate between the eight favorites in the ballot. The candidates debated migration policies within the European Union at length, with Jordan Bardella characterizing several other frontrunners as “immigrationists”. and being accused in return of "fascist" by the ecologist Marie Toussaint.