International Debate Analysis

The Leaders' Debates Commission consulted widely after the 2021 elections, speaking with debate organizers here and in other countries to identify the best practices for effective and informative debates.

Many of the same themes emerged during our international and national consultations, revealing a broad consensus among the debate organizers in Australia, France, Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

Below is a summary of this stakeholder analysis.

The research findings echo the principles outlined in the Commission's final report on the 2021 federal election experience.

The fresh perspectives from experts reflect an evolving democratic environment and provide insightful knowledge on ways to improve future leaders' debates in Canada.

What is the consensus that emerged in terms of the format?

• The debate format should be simple and easy to follow, with the focus kept on the content, i.e., the themes, questions, and answers from the leaders.
• The structure of the debate should not be complicated.
• There was strong consensus that one single moderator is best. Stakeholders noted that most debate organizers migrate to one moderator over time.
• A debate must be moderated by an experienced journalist.
• One moderator can more effectively and easily navigate time, control the discussion, elicit meaningful exchanges, and follow-up with questions.
• One moderator can more effectively and easily assert authority and set an appropriate and consistent tone to the debate.
• Having a consistent approach to the moderation of a debate, i.e., one referee or one conductor, is considered as best serving the audience and the leaders as it is clear to both who is in charge of the debate.
• The format should signpost for the leaders and audience at home. This should involve a clear introduction from the moderator at the beginning to explain how debate will unfold, repeating the explanation for both the audience and the leaders during the debate.
• The themes can vary in both number and length with flexibility generally preferred.
• It is considered important to dedicate time to the major themes and questions. The moderator should have the flexibility to allow the leaders to debate and have more time on a theme or question that becomes particularly engaging.
• A natural flow to the debate is considered better than structured and predetermined one-on-ones between the leaders.
• The moderator should consider posing the same question to each leader at the start of each theme, then allowing for rebuttal time followed by an open debate.
• Having fewer questions within a debate is considered more effective and informative as this allows leaders more time and provides an opportunity for more of a substantive discussion on policy issues and party platforms.
• The moderator should consider making space for moments that shed light on the leaders' character.
• Overall fairness for the leaders rather than a strict enforcement of equal time is considered better, with the moderator being trusted to keep time.
• Having no clocks on stage is considered better and the moderator should be trusted to keep time, although some stakeholders note that showing the running, cumulative time on screens for each candidate is considered acceptable.
• There was no clear consensus on opening and closing statements. Some stakeholders preferred them, while others did not, but debates do include them, some with slight variations. Overall opening statements/questions should be considered essential, but there should be flexibility on closing statements.
• Having rapid fire questions at the end of a debate is considered interesting by several stakeholders.

What is the consensus on the role of the moderator?

• The selection of the moderator is central to a successful debate.
• There is strong agreement among the stakeholders that, like a referee in a hockey game, the audience should not remember who moderated a debate.
• The role of the moderator should be there as a facilitator, there to serve the voting audience.
• The moderator should have gravitas, authority, and act as the guardian of the public trust.
• The moderator should facilitate the discussion between the leaders and encourage them to debate each other.
• Rebuttal time should very largely be left to the leaders themselves, although some moderator rebuttal to clarify the leaders' positions is considered acceptable.
• The moderator should provide illuminating political debate by drawing out the differences in policy positions and between political platforms.
• The moderator should set the tone of the debate by creating an environment where the leaders can debate each other, and the differences on policy positions can be illuminated and made clear for the audience.

What is the consensus around questions?

• The framing and formulation of the questions is considered to be key to a successful debate.
• Questions should be well-honed. They should be an invitation to the leaders to engage on policy positions. They should also prompt debate and elicit meaningful exchanges between the leaders.
• Questions should be open-ended but tight enough to make the leaders accountable to what the moderator is asking them.
• Phrasing questions in a way that gets the most out of the answer should be considered.
• Questions should be constructed so not to favour one leader over another.
• Critical formulations should be allowed but loaded questions are to be avoided.
• Contextualizing questions within a broader issue or perspective so to help the audience understand should be considered.
• Length of answers should provide enough time to understand policy positions.
• Themes and questions should not be negotiated with the political parties.

What is the consensus around the production of a debate?

• The set should be simple, intimate, and free of "bells and whistles" to keep focus on the leaders and on the content of the debate.
• The leaders should be close to each other, in a semi-circle, to allow for strong eyeline between the moderator and each leader on stage.
• The moderator having strong eyeline with each leader is considered essential in order to facilitate the discussion, allow control of the debate, and impose discipline.
• The construction of the stage is important. The moderator needs to have the ability to intervene with his/her eyeline and body language, and not be in a position where it is not possible to connect with the leaders.
• The moderator should be in close proximity to the leaders so that the moderator's physical presence is not only seen but felt by the leaders, allowing the moderator to simply gesture or raise a hand to help control the discussion.
• If there is an audience, the leaders should be facing the audience.