The political campaign on the left is heating up as five candidates for the social democratic primary—Olivier Faure, Raphaël Glucksmann, Ségolène Royal, Jérôme Guedj, and Emmanuel Maurel—are set to debate for the first time this Wednesday evening, starting at 8:40 PM on the LCI channel. This is not entirely new, as Ségolène Royal previously participated in the primary organized by the Socialist Party for the presidential election in the autumn of 2006. That primary was one of the first of its kind, aimed at resolving the ambitions within the party following the end of Jacques Chirac's second five-year term. At the start of 2006, three socialist candidates were in the running: the former Minister of Economy Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former Prime Minister Laurent Fabius, and Ségolène Royal, then president of the Poitou-Charentes Regional Council, who was already seen as the favorite in internal polls. The principle of a primary to select candidates for the socialist investment is in the party's statutes since its creation in 1971. Although a first primary had been organized by the PS in 1995—opposing then Lionel Jospin to Henri Emmanuelli—the vote was then reserved for members only up to date with their subscription. This remained the case for the 2006 primary, except the party leadership intended to promote the campaign widely to encourage left sympathizers to join the PS ranks. Thus, the "20 euro card" operation was launched, aiming for 200,000 members. In the end, there were a little less than 180,000 voters. This is the reason why this primary is sometimes called "semi-open." To animate this campaign, the Socialist Party organized six debates, three in public and three televised—a first—broadcast by the two parliamentary channels, LCP and Public Sénat. The specifications were particularly strict to avoid the exchanges turning into a brawl: the setting was simple, speaking times were strictly timed, and candidates were not allowed to interrupt or address each other. "We were a bit blocked due to the numerous constraints imposed on these three meetings between the candidates of the time. It is true that we were less in the debate than what is possible today. The format was relatively austere," admits several years later journalist Emmanuel Kessler, who co-hosted these exchanges. The first debate, on October 17, was polite and courteous. The divergences were mainly felt on the issue of 35 hours. Laurent Fabius and Dominique Strauss-Kahn followed the program of the Socialist Party and promised their generalization. Conversely, Ségolène Royal was more cautious and considered that the reform of the reduction of working time could have constituted, "for a minority of employees," a social regression. From her introductory statement, Ségolène Royal listed the leitmotif that would irrigate her campaign: "Implement a just economic, social and environmental order." Twenty years later, she continues to promote this same mantra. This Tuesday, during her first public meeting in Alfortville, she mixed it with a Mitterrandian reference, promising "a just order in a tranquil France."