Just four more days to go and it could still go either way

TV debate highlights
Short transcripts from the debate

Ségolène Royal and Nicolas Sarkozy traded insults on Wednesday night in a moment of high political drama during the televised debate between presidential finalists that captivated France just four days before the final round of elections. Read original article

Ms Royal accused her ­centre-right opponent of "political immorality" and Mr Sarkozy complained the Socialist had "lost her nerve" as the debate – France’s first in 12 years – lived up to its promise of fireworks between the contenders to replace Jacques Chirac in the Elysée palace.

While the two candidates seemed surprised by the ­sudden aggressive turn taken by their debate, both scored points during their heated exchange. Contrary to expectations, Mr Sarkozy appeared measured and calm, while Ms Royal looked more nervous but was often on the offensive.

The highlight came as Ms Royal said it was "scandalous" that Mr Sarkozy could talk "with a tear in his eye" of giving handicapped children an enforceable right to schooling, when his government had scrapped a similar measure she had introduced as schools minister.

The centre-right favourite replied: "Calm down. Don’t point your finger at me like that. I don’t know why Ms Royal, usually so calm, has lost her nerve...You have shown how easily you get angry. But to be president of the republic carries heavy responsibilities."

Ms Royal hit back, saying: "Not when there is injustice. There is some anger that is perfectly healthy."

The two also clashed on nuclear energy, Turkey’s entry into the European Union, taxation, debt-reduction, immigration and the 35-hour working week.

Mr Sarkozy seized on the Socialist’s proposal to fund state pensions with a new tax on share trades, saying: "So you are going to create a tax without telling the French people how much it’s going to be, and how much you hope to gain from this tax? French people will really be able to sleep easy about their pensions with you in charge."

On Turkey’s application for EU membership, Ms Royal criticised her rival’s opposition, saying: "I don’t think it is good politics to slam the door on a big country." He replied: "I don’t think we should kill the European Union."

In spite of Ms Royal’s ­frequent attempts to make Mr Sarkozy face up to the mixed record of the unpopular outgoing government, of which he has been a senior member for four of the last five years, he batted away her criticisms. "You go off the rails very easily Madame," he said.

Mr Sarkozy went into Wednesday night’s debate as the favourite, after leading every opinion poll since coming top with 31 per cent of the vote in the first-round ballot on April 22. Ms Royal was seen as the underdog, trailing in the polls and facing a man widely thought to have better debating skills.

The focus will on Thursday turn to François Bayrou, the third-placed centrist, who has refused to endorse either finalist, saying he would wait until after the televised debate to decide. His 6.8m first-round voters could swing the election.

Mr Bayrou last week seemed to rule out endorsing Mr Sarkozy, who he severely criticised. But the centrist left the door open to an alliance with Ms Royal after participating in a jovial televised debate last Saturday with the Socialist.