Other candidates welcomed Mr. Jospin into the race and called for debates soon.
For instance, Naoto Kan, the new finance minister, has called for debate on raising the consumption tax.
He has already called for debates on issues like health care and the financing of public schools.
Adam Boulton, the political editor of Sky News, has called for debates between the leaders of the main political parties during the next election campaign.
His main challengers, Mr. Golisano, of the Independence Party, and H. Carl McCall, a Democrat, have called for debates involving only the three of them.
Finkel has previously called for debate about nuclear electricity, saying Australia would be able to manage such a system "at very high safety levels".
The popularity of Naoto Kan, the country's prime minister, plunged after he called for debate on increasing sales taxes as part of measures to restore Japan's battered public finances.
When Raul called for debate last July, the gesture seemed, to many, empty rhetoric.
He also said the U.S. will ease its embargo on Cuba and called for debate to consider lifting it.
Though both candidates have called for debates, with nine days until Election Day Abdullah and Ghani have yet to take to their podiums on a shared stage.
But under the rules established in 1982, any senator had the right to call for debate on the issue.
