HIGHLIGHTS 1-France's Royal, Sarkozy go head to head in debate

PARIS (Reuters) - French right-winger Nicolas Sarkozy and his Socialist rival Segolene Royal went head-to-head on Wednesday in a live television debate that could decide Sunday's presidential election.

Below are highlights from the showdown, which began at 1900

GMT:

* TAX

ROYAL: "I want to raise small pensions straight away."

SARKOZY: "How will you pay for it?"

ROYAL: "I will tell you. I will put extra funds in the pension funds reserve."

SARKOZY: "Very good, where do you get the money from?"

ROYAL: "From a tax on stock exchange revenues.

SARKOZY: "Of how much?"

ROYAL: "The social partners (unions and business leaders) will discuss it. But at least the principle is established."

SARKOZY: "How much will you put in the fund?"

ROYAL: "I'm just setting out the principle. I have a plan."

SARKOZY: "No, no, hang on, this is very interesting. This tax you are creating, for us -- when (Socialist prime minister) Lionel Jospin created this (pension reserve) fund, it was to have 120 billion euros. There are 36 billion in it, each year the state puts in 6 billion. Your tax, roughly, how much is it?

ROYAL: "My tax will be at the level necessary for social justice."

SARKOZY: "That's a stunning piece of detail. Can't you give us a figure?"