The TV debate between France’s aspiring Socialist presidential candidates may have beaten Masterchef in Thursday evening’s ratings, but the party still has its work cut out to ensure victory in the election next year.

Five million viewers watched the six would-be candidates politely disagree on secondary matters of policy, making the debate Thursday’s most-watched broadcast, beating the popular cookery programme Masterchef.
 
It comes in the run-up to France’s first-ever US-style primary election, a practise adopted by the Socialists in the apparent belief that American equals modern but not imitated by President Nicolas Sarkozy’s UMP or any other party.

More:  http://www.english.rfi.fr/france/20110916-french-socialists-top-tv-ratings-can-they-beat-sarkozy