ABSTRACT
Electoral debates are at the confluence of modern day political communication practices in a wide range of countries. They can be observed from at least three distinctive angles: contextual conditions; campaign strategy; and effects on the electorate. Debates are expected to shift or reinforce attitudes and impact voters’ knowledge about issues and the personality of the candidates. Electoral debates are commonly associated with competitive campaigns and fair elections. It is accurate to say that the development of debates internationally was greatly influenced by the way debates originated in the United States of America. Electoral debates are usually judged from a normative perspective. We expect debates, candidates, voters, and the media to engage in a deliberative exercise in which issues are analysed and public policy is discussed. Such a perspective emphasises the deliberative nature of electoral debates as an information aid that serves the higher purpose of political argumentation.
