Political and media controversies are of an unquestionably narrative nature yet one that cannot be reduced to the statements made by the protagonists and by the observers who report on them. To analyse that nature we need to clarify the temporal organization manifested in the course of the debate, and of which the structure of intrigue projects the possibility and expectation of potential narratives. The authors have mobilized this exploratory research approach to study an article in a daily newspaper, published during a referendum on medically assisted procreation. They conclude with propositions for a praxeological analysis of political work performed by media discourse.