Kritiek op format van tv-debat tussen Chirac en jongeren (en)

French President Jacques Chirac's forthcoming TV address is the "triumph of political marketing", contrary to journalism, French journalists have said.

Mr Chirac, whose TV intervention, planned for last week, was postponed to this Thursday (14 April) because of Pope John Paul II's funeral, is to debate with some 80 young people on national channel TF1.

Three topics will be discussed: the referendum on the EU Constitution, the perspectives for France in Europe, and Europe's place in the world.

Whereas TF1 is praising "a direct dialogue, a spontaneous and free exchange", some have said being shocked by the "stage-managed information", according to Le Figaro.

Journalist associations from three other big TV channels (France 2, France 3 and M6), comprising some 600 people, have denounced, amongst other things, the lack of political analysts on the programme.

They deplore a "confusion of genres between information and show programmes", which, they say, is becoming "the rule as far as political debate is concerned".

The programme, called "Referendum: live from the Elysee", is to be aired in prime time (20h50) and hosted by TF1's most wide-known journalist, Patrick Poivre d'Arvor.

The young people present on the set will be between 18 to 25 years old, some of them in favour and some opposed to the Constitution. They will be coming from different parts of France and different social backgrounds, so that they can "represent French youth best", writes Le Figaro.

As the French referendum on the EU Constitution approaches (29 May), this is President Chirac's first concrete involvement in the yes campaign.

It has followed pressure from the yes camp for Mr Chirac, who has never hidden his support for the Constitution, to intervene personally in favour of it, after several consecutive polls have shown a rise in the number of people hostile to EU charter.

Last week, centre-right parties in France had welcomed the president's decision, as many believe he could influence the undecided voters to vote in favour.

On the other hand, members of the Socialist Party had expressed worries that too strong an involvement by Mr Chirac may have negative consequences, as some citizens want to use the referendum to show their discontent towards the government.