In a political environment where partisanship has become more extreme, people from opposing sides are increasingly unable to agree on how to tackle social and economic problems. One method commonly used to resolve disagreement is productive debate, in which ideas and positions are discussed with the aim of reaching some form of consensus.
Debates are an important part of democratic culture, giving citizens a chance to see candidates outline their stance and policy proposals in person. They also give voters the opportunity to hold candidates accountable by referencing their statements, policies and campaign promises during the debates. In addition, in divided election environments and countries emerging from conflict, political rivals can show they can conduct an electoral process with mutual respect while disagreeing on the issues, and commit to non-violent dispute resolution processes after elections have been conducted.
The way in which debates are structured and conducted can have a significant impact on how they are perceived by viewers. For example, in the United States, candidates for President are required to participate in a series of televised debates prior to the general election. In some cases, debates have been criticized for their format, moderators or participants. This may explain why some politicians choose not to participate in the debates and others schedule fewer debates. It could be that these politicians are concerned they will make a mistake during the debate and that their opponent will land a punch. Alternatively, it is possible that these candidates are worried that the debates will highlight weaknesses in their campaign and thereby affect voter decisions.