Yesterday I heard an acquaintance say what he thought of the second debate and he summarized it by saying “nothing has happened here.”
According to the INE, about 16 million people watched the second presidential debate in 2024 (out of just over 100 million people registered on the electoral roll), does that mean that the majority of the population was not interested? Does this mean that the debate did not have a significant impact on public opinion or generate notable changes in citizen perception or participation?
According to surveys after the event, the debate did not cause a notable movement in preferences, it generated nothing more than superficial controversy and prolonged discussions, meaning that it went unnoticed by most people.
This being so, it could also be stated that a debate does not define an election and this is for various reasons.
The decision to vote for one of the candidates is not made solely based on what was presented in the debate. Voters consider a wide range of factors, such as campaign proposals, the past of the candidates and the parties that nominate them, as well as their ideology, economic and social situation, among others.
In the polarized political environment that we live in and in which there is high loyalty towards a particular political party, the debate had little impact on the change in voting intention. We know that loyal voters tend to stay true to their partisan preferences even after debates.
Elections are decided throughout the campaign, which in this case has lasted months. The debates are only one part of this campaign, and other events and strategies also influence voters’ perceptions and their final decisions.
Voters’ preferences can vary considerably depending on the region, the local political context, and the specific issues they face. This means that the debates that have been held and the time that the candidates had allowed them to speak in a general way.
In summary, although debates are important in the electoral process and can influence some voters, they are not the only nor the most determining factor in defining an election. Voters consider multiple factors and evaluate candidates comprehensively before making their final decision at the polls.
Saying that “nothing has happened here” after the second debate highlights the lack of impact, relevance and interest it had on public opinion and on people’s daily lives.
