A guide to France’s left-wing primary debates, January 2017

Seven politicians of the left stood in primaries in France in January 2017 to become the Socialist candidate in the Presidential Election in April-May 2017.

The seven candidates confirmed were:

Jean-Luc Bennahmias
François de Rugy
Benoît Hamon
Arnaud Montebourg
Vincent Peillon
Sylvia Pinel
Manuel Valls

Two other candidates on the French left - Emmanuel Macron and Jean-Luc Melenchon - bypassed the primary to run as independent candidates.

On the 13, 15 and 19 January 2017 the candidates took part in live televised debates.

In the first round of the primaries held on the 22 January 2017 the two candidates who came out on top were:

Benoît Hamon
Manuel Valls

They competed against each other in a second round of voting on the 29 January 2017.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: France election: Socialists scramble to avoid split after Fillon win / Hollande announces he will not stand for re-election / French PM Valls officially announces he wants to be next president http://www.europeansources.info/record/france-election-socialists-scramble-to-avoid-split-after-fillon-win-hollande-announces-he-will-not-stand-for-re-election-french-pm-valls-officially-announces-he-wants-to-be-next-president/

ESO: Key source: France Presidential Election 2017 http://www.europeansources.info/record/french-presidential-election-2017/

Deutsche Welle, 12.01.17: France: Who are the seven Socialists fighting for the presidency? http://dw.com/p/2VioC

Deutsche Welle, 13.01.17: Fragile French left holds fractious debate ahead of primary vote http://dw.com/p/2Vjg6

France24, 13.01.17: Candidates spar over labour law in first French left-wing presidential debate http://www.france24.com/en/20170113-france-left-wing-presidential-primary-first-debate-socialist-party-valls

The Local.fr, 12.01.17: Beleaguered French Socialists hope to stir interest with first face off http://www.thelocal.fr/20170112/french-socialists-face-off-in-pre-primary-debate

Politico, 13.01.17: French Socialists clash in first presidential primary debate http://www.politico.eu/article/french-socialists-presidential-primary-debate-valls-hollande/

Euronews, 13.01.17: French left-wing presidential hopefuls take part in first TV debate http://www.euronews.com/2017/01/13/french-left-wing-presidential-hopefuls-take-part-in-first-tv-debate

RFI, 13.01.17: Universal basic income dominates French Socialists' primary debate http://en.rfi.fr/france/20170113-universal-basic-income-dominates-french-socialists-primary-debate

Politico, 18.11.17: A slap — and Manuel Valls is back http://www.politico.eu/article/a-slap-and-manuel-valls-is-back-assault-campaign-nationalism/

Deutsche Welle, 15.01.17: French left debates migrants and Trump ahead of primary http://dw.com/p/2VqAT

France24, 16.01.17: Former French Prime Minister Valls comes under fire in second left-wing primary debate http://www.france24.com/en/20170115-former-french-prime-minister-valls-trails-second-left-wing-primary-debate-poll-shows

Deutsche Welle, 21.01.17: French Left heads to primaries in sorry state http://dw.com/p/2W7v2

France24, 20.01.17: France's battered Socialists make last pitch to voters in primary debate http://www.france24.com/en/20170119-france-socialists-last-debate-presidential-primary-valls-hamon-montebourg-peillon

Deutsche Welle, 22.01.17: French Left elects Hamon and Valls as presidential candidate nominees http://dw.com/p/2WDdW

The Local.fr, 22.01.17: Benoit Hamon - the 'French Bernie Sanders' - goes from underdog to Socialist favourite http://www.thelocal.fr/20170122/benoit-hamon-the-french-bernie-sanders-goes-from-underdog-to-socialist-favorite

The Local.fr, 22.01.17: Valls to battle surprise package Benoit Hamon to be France's Socialist presidential candidate http://www.thelocal.fr/20170122/valls-and-hamon-to-vie-for-french-leftwing-presidential-nod-partial-results

Politico, 23.01.17: 3 takeaways from the French Socialist primary http://www.politico.eu/article/3-takeaways-from-the-french-socialist-primary/

EurActiv, 23.01.17: Hamon emerges as surprise contender for French leftwing presidential nod https://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/news/hamon-emerges-as-surprise-contender-for-french-leftwing-presidential-nod/

The Guardian, 22.01.17: Benoît Hamon tops poll in first round of French Socialist primary race https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/22/benoit-hamon-tops-poll-in-first-french-socialist-primary-race

EUObserver, 23.01.17: Leftist newcomer takes lead in French Socialist primary https://euobserver.com/beyond-brussels/136628

Euro|Topics: Debates, January 2017: Can Hamon save the French Socialists? http://www.eurotopics.net/en/173115/can-hamon-save-the-french-socialists

France24, 24.01.17: Doubts raised over French left-wing primary turnout http://www.france24.com/en/20170123-france-doubts-raised-media-french-left-wing-primary-turnout-hamon-valls-election

France24, 29.01.17: ‘Fighter’ Valls vs ‘moderniser’ Hamon: French head to polls for Socialist presidential primary http://www.france24.com/en/20170129-french-socialists-choose-between-vallshamon-presidential-candidate

The Local.fr, 29.01.17: Left-winger vs reformer in French Socialist presidential primary http://www.thelocal.fr/20170129/left-winger-vs-reformer-in-french-socialist-primary

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