As France bakes through another intense heatwave, a political battle is brewing over one question. Should the country install more air conditioning?

With the mercury soaring across the country, air conditioners and even basic fans have been flying off store shelves, as people search for any kind of relief from the blistering heat.

For many, especially those living in top-floor apartments under the zinc roofs of Paris and other cities, the nights are just as unbearable as the days.

The extreme heat has spurred politicians on the right to argue that France needs to get serious about air con, especially for the elderly and those most vulnerable.

For some residents, air conditioning has already become a necessity.

"For the first few days, I was buying bags of ice every day and sleeping on top of it. My apartment is top floor, south-facing, so it's really, really, really hot in there, and after the last heatwave, I was able to get my hands on an air conditioner, so it's a lot better and manageable now," said Jessica, who lives in Paris.

But the left is pushing back hard against the idea of widespread air conditioning, arguing that it is not a long-term solution to the weather crisis.

Critics say that while it might cool individual homes, it also puts additional strain on the electricity grid and pumps more hot air into already overheated streets.

"It's a short-term solution, just for our comfort when we have committed so long to not contribute further to climate change. Meanwhile, the cities can increase support for the residents. Maybe free pools or something like that, take off work or school, take your kids to the pool, put ice in a bowl in front of the fan." Guillaume, another Paris resident, told CGTN.

The debate has now become much bigger than just how people cool down during a scorching hot summer. It’s erupted into a wider discussion about how France should adapt to climate change and increasingly extreme temperatures.

The question now facing lawmakers is whether France needs more air conditioning or whether cities should be redesigned to stay cooler.

For now, though, millions of people across the country are simply trying to survive and get through the heat. But politically, this debate is only getting hotter.