Seven of the leading candidates in the increasingly tight and crowded race to succeed President Emmanuel Macron clashed on Thursday in their first debate, eight months ahead of the election. France’s first presidential election debate was largely consumed by bickering among the candidates on how to deal with the country’s swelling debt, including a dispute over a far-left proposal to simply cancel a portion of it. Key points and original sources are listed below.

• Seven of the leading candidates in the increasingly tight and crowded race to succeed President Emmanuel Macron clashed on Thursday in their first debate, eight months ahead of the election.S1

• France’s first presidential election debate was largely consumed by bickering among the candidates on how to deal with the country’s swelling debt, including a dispute over a far-left proposal to simply cancel a portion of it.S2