INSTANT VIEW 3-French presidential rivals' TV debate

PARIS (Reuters) - French Socialist presidential candidate Segolene Royal and her rightwing rival Nicolas Sarkozy faced off in a live television debate on Wednesday.

Following are politicians' and analysts' reaction to the debate.

THIERRY VEDEL OF POLITICAL THINK-TANK CEVIPOF

On who won: "It is impossible to answer that question. It depends primarily on your political preference. Very sincerely, I think that if you ask Segolene Royal's political supporters, they will tell you that Segolene Royal was better."

"On the other hand, what interests me is rather more is what pro-Sarkozy women thought of Sarkozy's performance towards Segolene Royal, because one thing was striking -- he looked at her very little. Everyone noticed."

MICHELE ALLIOT-MARIE, DEFENCE MINISTER.

"(Sarkozy) showed himself greatly superior....(Royal) rather lost the control of her tone and her remarks."

"She really lost her cool and afterwards, she tried to recover. It's without doubt a problem of being able to deal with moments of great tension."

FREDERIQUE MATONTI, UNIVERSITY PARIS I SORBONNE

"I would say the exchanges were pretty even but probably Segolene Royal fairly often gained an advantage and dominated the debate.

"The highlight was the issue over handicapped children, but it was a debate that was probably difficult to follow for ordinary voters.

"She was very pugnacious and able to turn the tables in the exchange. I was very struck by the fact that Nicolas Sarkozy did not look at her but seemed to search for the approval of the journalists. He was speaking to them as if he was looking for their approval."

PAUL BACOT, POLITICAL SCIENTIST, SCIENCES PO, LYON.

"In a way the fact they both came out of it well is more beneficial for Segolene Royal than for Nicolas Sarkozy. She had more to lose. And she took more risks. More than Sarkozy, she was suspected of incompetence and lacking experience and ability to debate. So the fact that they drew in a way probably makes her the winner, (the one) who scored points in this debate.

ANITA HAUSSER, POLITICAL COMMENTATOR FOR LCI TV

"I don't think either managed to convince the other camp. Both spoke to their own electorate ... Segolene Royal spoke to the weak, Nicolas Sarkozy to those who want things to move ... It seems to me to be very difficult to say there was a winner."

CHRISTOPHE BARBIER, EDITOR OF WEEKLY MAGAZINE L'EXPRESS

"There were two winners ... Neither of the two fell into the trap that was prepared for them ... he didn't lose his calm or his nerve ... she did not appear lightweight or incompetent."

PIERRE-LUC SEGUIILLON, POLITICAL COMMENTATOR FOR LCI TV

"I think that over all Nicolas Sarkozy (won) albeit that nothing fundamental was changed by this debate. He seemed the one who was most capable of governing tomorrow and would assume the responsibility."