PARIS (AP) – It was billed as a debate, but the congenial meeting Saturday between Socialist Segolene Royal and the French lawmaker she defeated in France’s presidential primary was aimed more at their common rival: Nicolas Sarkozy.

In the hastily arranged discussion, Ms. Royal did not receive direct support from Francois Bayrou, who finished a strong third place in the first round of presidential elections but failed to make the May 6 runoff. But he was clearly friendly toward a confident and smiling Ms. Royal – and hostile to Mr. Sarkozy, the conservative front-runner.

The nationally televised images of Ms. Royal and Mr. Bayrou may work in the Socialist’s favor, despite their political disagreements. Polls put Mr. Sarkozy ahead going into the runoff, and as the campaign heads into a final week, Ms. Royal hoping to bring Mr. Bayrou’s nearly 7 million voters to her side.

Mr. Bayrou, who rode to popularity by tapping voter frustration with the traditional left and right, has refused to endorse either candidate, but has reserved his fiercest criticism for Mr. Sarkozy.

Both Ms. Royal and Mr. Bayrou insisted that the old left-right face-off is no longer working and won’t solve France’s problems, which include a stagnant economy, unrest in immigrant-heavy housing projects and a fading voice in global affairs.

The debate “underlines the modernization of politics and the need to get past the confrontations of one bloc against the other,” Ms. Royal said.

Ms. Royal, who just weeks ago dismissed calls for an alliance with Mr. Bayrou, repeatedly stressed Saturday the similarities between their visions for France.

Mr. Bayrou reminded her of their differences, in particular over her leftist economic program.

Ms. Royal would increase government spending to boost employment. Mr. Bayrou and other critics say the plan would stifle much-needed growth and bury the country further in debt.

“It is not by distributing money that we don’t have that we will make our country stronger than others,” he said. “That has never worked.”

Ms. Royal, however, insisted her program was one of “great modernity.”

Mr. Bayrou remained hostile to the 35-hour workweek, which he says has failed to create jobs and has stifled innovation. Royal has waffled on the 35-hour week, a flagship Socialist policy introduced in 1999, criticizing it then saying she would expand it.

Still, by appearing on the same stage with Royal, Bayrou managed to indirectly support her while maintaining his political independence. That freedom is crucial to his party’s success in parliamentary elections in June – and as he eyes the next presidential elections in 2012.

He said Saturday he wanted to “discuss together and see if we could make things move.”

Mr. Sarkozy insisted during a campaign stop in Valenciennes that he was not interested in the debate.

Ms. Royal is working to make the runoff a referendum on the character of the pugnacious and blunt former interior minister, whose platform of economic reforms and tough measures against crime and immigration – and often brutal language and attitude – scare many in the opposing camp.

Mr. Sarkozy beat Ms. Royal by more than 5 percent in the first round, and led Royal 52.5 percent to 47.5 percent in an Ipsos poll released Saturday. The poll of 1,255 people was conducted April 25-27 by telephone. No margin of error was given.