Eurovision debate between lead candidates for the Commission presidency

Where is the EU going on climate policies? What about migration? And the economy?
Organised by the European Broadcasting Union and hosted by the European Parliament, the Eurovision Debate focuses on decisions that will impact you in the decades to come.
Five candidates for the Commission presidency have confirmed their presence for the debate on 23 May:
- Walter Baier (European Left)
- Sandro Gozi (Renew Europe Now)
- Ursula von der Leyen (European People’s Party)
- Terry Reintke (European Greens)
- Nicolas Schmit (Party of European Socialists)
Two parties, the European Conservatives and Reformists and Identity and Democracy, have not nominated lead candidates for the President of the European Commission and are therefore not eligible to take part in the debate according to the EBU rules.
The debate will be moderated by Martin Řezníček (Czech TV) and Annelies Beck (VRT, Belgium).
Questions will be asked by the audience in the plenary chamber, by viewers watching from events organised by Parliament’s liaison offices in EU countries, submitted via social media, and by the two moderators. Candidates will also face one-on-one questioning by the moderators in so-called Spotlight segments, a new feature in the Eurovision Debate 2024.
Follow it live and remember to #UseYourVote in the European elections on 6-9 June!
elections.europa.eu/en/

[@crochetifique]

No one, absolutely no one, has informed us in Italy about these European debates. Nobody knows that it is possible to watch online, because not a single journalist have informed the Italian public about it. If it wasn't for a comment I spotted on a social platform I wouldn't have known anything about it.

[@nativeafroeurasian]

Same in Germany. Luckily the EU parliament's instagram comes up every now and then in my recommondation. The media is focused way to heavily on national right politics increasing their voters concerns (by hating the parties for the most unnecessary things and asking everyone to abstain from every idea that party has even if it might be a (partially) good one) Edit: at least in the evening news they mentioned it now

[@europeanparliament]

Sorry to hear that, all EU media correspondents were informed. We strive to share important information on our channels, including our offices in Milan and Rome. Thank you for voting on 8-9 June!

[@europeanparliament]

@@nativeafroeurasian thank you for following us!

[@crochetifique]

@@europeanparliament I will definitely follow EU social platforms in order to have more information directly from the heart of Europe, from now on, to be more informed.

[@crochetifique]

Edit: I went online and made a specific research just to see if there has been news about this debate and after a while I found one online independent newspaper "Il Post" that has actually posted an article about it. Well, at least now I know which media to follow.

[@ahsokaincognito]

This was filmed inside the EU parliament? Incredible stage

[@europeanparliament]

It was! EBU transformed the hemicycle into a TV studio for the occasion. Thanks for watching.

[@dairreagh6468]

Timestamps (i feel like they should be doing this) 2:45 Economy and Jobs 11:10 Spotlight: Nicolas Schmitt, PES 27:20 Defense 33:00 Spotlight: Sandro Gozi 38:40 Climate 50:25 Spotlight: Terry Reintke 56:02 Democracy and Leadership 1:09:47 Spotlight: Ursula von der Leyen 1:16:12 Borders 1:27:46 Spotlight: Walter Baier 1:33:34 Innovation Regulation Tech and Tiktok

[@anonaccount156]

Thank you!

[@nilspartanen]

I think we should have people be able to speak in their native language for these debates with subtitles available in all languages. And of course dubbed versions for those that need that. There are clear differences in english skills that hamper the ability of some candidates to give the answers they want to give and elaborate as much as they would like to. Just a recommendation that I hope you bring to the next debate!

[@europeanparliament]

Thanks for your feedback!

[@csupkanorbert]

I'm going to disagree with this statement. If you want to represent a European party, you must have the ability to express yourself clearly in English. Let's take one of the moderator, Mr. Řezníček as an example, even though he's Czech, he has a perfect English and he was able to express anything perfectly

[@reinhold890]

Imagine if in parlament everyone would speak in their own lang and using headpiece translators what a mess would that be. No there they speak 1 language and here 1 lang.

[@nilspartanen]

@@csupkanorbert I think there is some validity to that, however we are a multilingual union. Respecting that we speak many different languages is key to including all people, both candidates and voters in the democratic processes.

[@nilspartanen]

@@reinhold890 That is quite common in the parliament actually, and although I would prefer just having subtitles in the various languages I think having a dubbed version afterwards for the different languages is a necessary measure to include some of those who can't utilize subtitles or understand english that well

[@Tejiknasten]

An interesting debate. It's a shame so few public broadcasters around Europe showed this debate live on TV.

[@michelecadau5685]

It would be good to have this debate translated and subtitled in every language of EU, unfortunately nowadays only a minority of european people speak english as well as to understand entirely it. Another problem are the national media who haven’t announced this important occasion, but even though they would few people would be interested because it isn’t in their national language. I’m the first to think that the union should focus more on have a single language for political purposes but probably it isn’t the time yet.

[@Edelgul1717]

They were translated. If yoy come to the EP during the debate, there were simultaneous translations in a number of languages. I dont know why they didnt use them in the end.

[@europeanparliament]

Good morning, this debate is available in all EU Languages @multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/topic/election-debate-2024_27308 You need to choose the language (left upper side). Regards, Parliament's social media team

[@europeanparliament]

Hello, Thank you for your comment, you can find here a streaming of the debate translated in all the official languages of the EU: europa.eu/!XKyg6b Have a nice day

[@mucicemucikeimuce946]

I thought they were going to debate about Eurovision. Oopsies

[@jonatoieri]

A debate about the song contest? From the EU parliament channel. Hehe, seems someone is longsighted here. 👁️👁️

[@edgarsch]

It’s kind of funny that this debate is happening in the language of the country that left the EU.

[@noodleppoodle]

We all speak it - euroenglish

[@diogocarvalho2934]

Ireland is still in

[@Leonholtkuile]

It's funny that Eurovision has organised this since they banned EU flags during the show and they also banned the pro-Europe song🤣

[@O3Br]

Problems about this debate: 1- just really few people in the EU knows about it. It should be trasmitted on national TV, radio, social media, etc 2- We should learn english as a second language, because we have a big linguistic problem in the EU. Meanwhile, these kind of contents should necessarily have sub or dub in native languages. Why don't we have a linguistic target by 2035?

[@13herva]

Why English? If EU a really democratic formation of states a neutral language which is not the native language of any nations would be more fair. UK made Brexit. There is now no state whose people have English as their native language (except among those who were under English rule for long!) The English is now the language of the strongest military (!) power in the world which has more than 800 military bases through all the world, its culture is pervading every nation, not for the better, I'm afraid. Is it cause enough for all of us to learn English? A really democratic choice would be Esperanto: everybody should learn it, no exceptions for the native speakers! It's a regular, well-functioning, easy-to-learn language of European origin which would fit for all! Part of democracy is also language democracy!

[@O3Br]

@@13herva English is actually the international language of the world. It is a fact. Lots of people already know it in the EU, it is relatively easy, it is already taught at school and it is already used by the people all over the world for communicating. Brexit and ideologies don't matter: we are talking about the language and English is the smartest choice if you want a quick and useful result for a linguistic unification of the EU.

[@RougeMont3]

What is Gozi saying about the far-right? List of Renew parties that reached government agreements with "far-right" parties: - Venstre (Denmark) - Swedish People's Party (Finland) - Centre Party (Finland) - Liberal Party (Sweden) - People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (Netherlands) - Centre Party (Estonia) - Social Liberal Party (Croatia) Even Mr. Gozi's Italian party (Italia Viva) has recently run inside a right-wing coalition together with Fratelli and Lega in the Basilicata regional election

[@jonas6120]

Venstre is not in government with any far-right parties. The coalition consists of them, a centre-left party (Socialdemokraterne) and a centrist party (Moderaterne).

[@lilgrape]

if the eu wants more europeans to involved with it, the eu gotta stop being confusing. From Council of the EU and European Council (not to mention both sounding similar to Council of Europe) to "Eurovision debate" as if eurovision isn't already associated with the esc. Stop reusing terms its actually so dumb

[@AlexanderOnFire]

Eurovision as a term got already used for all kind of types of shows lol.

[@svanteuller7928]

Swedish public service media and newspaper have not informed us about this debate nor the Maastricht debate in late april. We have had no chans to participate and ask question.

[@sanserof7]

450 million people in the EU, 45k views. Nice transparant democracy we got.

[@albertoschiavo6428]

I hope to see the united states of europe one day...

[@kingofrivia1248]

Dont push it. Europe is a great idea but the eu needs to take a small stept back and become WAY more democratic.😊

[@Siranoxz]

Slow down cowboy..

[@ahsokaincognito]

I do too, that's why I'll vote Volt 💜

[@vad0123.]

We want peace not war Mr Ursula !

[@14Trenlover]

I saw the debate on KZbin "Eurovision debate between lead candidates for the Commission presidency". But whom is this debate for? I am not that knowledgeable on the EU, but as I understand it we citizens do not vote for the commission president. If that is the case, what is the difference between this debate, and a presidential debate in Russia, or even North Korea (if they had it)? We don't vote, so the debate is just a sham to give the impression of democracy where there is none?

[@noodleppoodle]

Don’t be ridiculous, we vote for MEPs

[@14Trenlover]

@@noodleppoodle So like the Soviet MPs elected Stalin etc?

[@Chris-cp2my]

makes you kinda wish you can directly vote for them

[@les-fauxmonnayeurs9887]

there is no minimum wage across all Europe, what is that candidate talking about?

[@cittadino.pensante]

I was not aware that they agreed the president candidates before members are elected. Ok to have clear idea but I think the results of the election can determine the equilibrium between the parties, therefore who had more votes has more space to propose a name rather one other....

[@europeanparliament]

You are right! These are lead candidates proposed by European political parties ahead of elections. However, it still has to be decided after the elections. No one is yet appointed! Thanks for voting in June!

[@cittadino.pensante]

@@europeanparliament really thanks for the comment, off course I'm gonna vote, as I always did when happened, was for city, region, government and obviously for our United States of Europe

[@oriolsalvador]

Green Party: 12 Points

[@vincentbrock2717]

I can't believe this has only 44k views. Europe don't make me sad

[@bartolomeonicolotti3394]

Is this available only in English? 🤔

[@gillybeans131]

Why wasn't this shown live on each member state's national broadcaster?? 70% of legislation coming from the EU and nobody even heard of this debate. The EU's outreach really needs to improve!!!

[@nashtags]

EBU's still better at organising ESC.

[@TheChangeYT]

I wish volt Europa would've been on the panel

[@vad0123.]

Ursula Layen uner criminal investigation is not option

[@devebukenhamdi8266]

We need to hear clear message about Türkiye's EU membership.

[@sternreport]

Not gonna happen is the clear message

[@reinhold890]

Not while you guys elect guys like erdogan

[@philippg.]

For that to happen, Turkey would firstly need wanting to join the EU. They currently don't want it because they would need to implement a lot of democratic measures most possibly harming the current power of Erdogan. Secondly, they would have to meet the requirenments to joining which they also don't do. Turkey's economic is at one of its worst phases in modern post war history, the state system is corrupt and the laws are undemocratic. They would firstly need to change all of that which they surely won't under the rule of Erdogan.

[@Siranoxz]

Turkish EU membership has been scrapped. Turkey has fallen too far into autocratic dictatorship and playing its own rules instead of collaborating. Sorry.

[@O3Br]

Never.

[@artuselias]

Good debate. But I don't get why they don't take measures to prevent the audience being hijacked by activists.

[@aryanpatel2114]

ID and ECR is missing

[@jonny47988]

For good reason. ID and ECR didn't want to name a leading candidate.

[@bexkivisto5940]

30:45 On the topic of peace and security, comrade Walter Baier brought up the gen0cide happening in Gaza when no other candidate did! Proud to be part of the Euroopan Left ❤🍉

[@13herva]

The only candidate who would be worth to elect!

[@maikotter9945]

ein Beitrag des Dienstages, 28. Mai 2024 Ich bevorzuge die Europäische Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft (= EWG, in dem Vergleich mit der Europäischen Union (= EU). Das Sitzverteilung des EU Parlamentes sollte auf einer Rechenformel basieren, die jeder anhand der Bevölkerungszahlen berechnen kann. z. B. jeweils 5 Sitze je Mitgliedsstaat, dazu jeweils 1 weiteren Sitz, je weiterer x angefangener Anzahl Einwohner

[@nateq]

interesting conversation between the left, the left, the green left, the red left and the "christian" left

[@jonas6120]

Renew is centrist. EPP is centre-right. But okay. And, the Left and Greens are definitely left-wing. S&D is centre-left. ECR and ID did not want to select a prime candidate, and so they did not participate in the debate (which is a shame).

[@nateq]

@@jonas6120 EPP/Renew may be centre-right/centrist on paper, but not in their policies, that's how I see it and yeah it's a shame ECR and ID didn't participate

[@tanyoivanov-personal]

1:40:00 Omg in TikTok we don't add any personal data and it doesn't require location and as much data as in Facebook, Instagram etc. The TRUTH is other, the other social platform started to loose popularity and this does not allow to make databases with info about us and also to control the things that we see. TikTok is not so filtered as the other platforms are and it doesn't take so much personal data as the others. No one said concretely what data is collected and how it is used by Facebook, Instagram and how is this made in TikTok, because this is an excuse. It is th opposite. In TikTok you can see news that they would not report on the TV.

[@vad0123.]

🇪🇺❤️🇷🇺

[@giovanniarra7522]

so von der leyen is doing nothing about gaza of course all 7 of october talking as usual

[@amosawada53]

I am a migrant presently in Tunisia 🇹🇳 suffering. We purposely come to Tunisia to cross to Europe 🇪🇺. But the agreement signed between Italy 🇮🇹 and Tunisia 🇹🇳 has led many deaths. Now in Tunisia 🇹🇳 we the migrants, we don't have shelters right, medication, asset to transportation. Tunisia 🇹🇳 authorities arrest us and sell us to Libya 🇱🇾 authorities

[@StephenG-kw1lp]

I don't care. Live in your own lands and improve them.

[@PlatonPlaton-xs4zi]

The issue with migrants has Russian roots - Russia simultaneously creates conflicts, whether in Africa or Europe (thousands of refugees) and finances far-right movements against migration! We need one party - Professionals Against Fraudsters!

[@ericp0012]

We need (more) right-wing green parties in the EU.

[@ayoCC]

a lot of these ideas need to be communicated in a more engaging way. Take a look at american news, they know how to make boring news fun. As for contents, I wish there was more specific proposals ok "we want strong childcare policy" well what in particular? I guess they're afraid of saying specific reforms, because people tend to nitpick everything to death, thinking that a minor flaw is somehow a dealbreaker. Also it's easy to get caught up on one policy and it will waste everyones time by talking about one reform for hours.

[@nilspartanen]

A big problem for especially Schmidt I think seems to be that he isn't that good at formulating himself in English, which makes it difficult for him to come up with proper answers within the time frame

[@ayoCC]

@@nilspartanen makes sense! I think for a debate it should be fine to get the questions in advance and prepare for them, because we don't need politicians making snap decisions, but rather, measured and well thought out decisions. The only way to actually see a quality decision is if it is well thought out and sometimes even complex. Explain to an American why a roundabout is good in 30 seconds.😄 I actually enjoyed Ursula von der leyens response to the fallacy, that a government can only care about one thing at a time, I think it should be more emphasized that money can't solve everything, sometimes the government has a lot of money it wants to allocate to an issue, but no one can actually do the work. That makes it expensive, unless you invest in the seeds, like putting it into universities, so that in 5 years there's people with the skills we can pay. In most cases you want to diversify your involvement and gain some mere exposure in many fields. But I do get how people can think you can't have support for Ukraine while also boosting domestic defense. It's just wrong though. Also the spending hasn't exceeded the yearly returns of the frozen Russian assets yet. Russian assets are 300 billion, they give maybe 3 billion in returns a year which were already greenlit to be used against Russia

[@dforce_272]

Renew Europe 👍🏻 Sandro Gozi 👍🏻, everyone should be allowed to speak in their native language next time …

[@REd-ru5ce]

Ursula von der Leyen for the ''people's party''? HAHAHAHAHAHAH Good one! I fucking love European ''Democracy'', it offers us so many jokes!

[@jonny47988]

That's the name of the Christian democrats. Complains have to go to them. It's not the fault of European democracy.

[@jonas6120]

Shocker... No People's Party is ever truly a People's Party - because there is never a clearly united people.

[@andiweinbender50415]

Offenbarung - Kapitel 12 Die Frau und der Drache 1 Und es erschien ein großes Zeichen im Himmel: ein Weib, mit der Sonne bekleidet, und der Mond unter ihren Füßen und auf ihrem Haupt eine Krone (Kranz) mit zwölf goldenen Sternen. Herzlichen Dank und eine tiefe Verbeugung an Ihnen.

[@andrewpraisewordswondersof816]

Please note selection between "democrat" & "right wing" candidate (I consider liberals obsolete for 2020s) includes more than "two slots" to estimate. What is "democracy" historically? Power of "demos"--more poor majority, up to most poor & less knowledgeable. Then, this is for "majority" which decides, evaluates, often, not by leaders' results but by electional promisses, sometimes not confirmed. This is a drawback of the entire voting system, for if "rights" would win -- they would become "majority", themselves. Most intellectually prepared people are ALWAYS minority & often are SUPPRESSED (if not executed as Socrates or Jesus Christ). Paradox. Next. "Rights"-- those more rich & having conditions for education (often skept, like fe by Bill Gates) -- are best to be distinguished by the binary platform: "rule of law" (good: "the good act is what you prefer to receive yourself") or "legal positivism" -- whatever a "boss" says -- that's what is "good"; NEVER brings mathematically best results. Consequently, more educated "right" following "rule of law" maybe, in an intuitive average citizen 's understanding, "more democrat" than formal ignorant member of a democratic crowd. NOTE: THIS ADVICE HAS SIGNIFICANT INTELLECTUAL VALUE, consider it my "donation" to the EU in expectation of better election. I personally worried about prioritization of Culture & inventing more accountability for security services to fight its criminal co-participations, especially in intellectual property & human-trafficking areas. Andrew Praiseword, EEE, May 23, 2024, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. www.NorthAtlanticLife.com.

[@andrewpraisewordswondersof816]

​@@evaklum8974 You try Eskimo for critical works, it may be more benevolent area for you.

[@Alex-qx6wh]

Why would you be speaking English tho😂

[@dman030]

ooooo, a big debate between all the leftists. exciting. > nice to see, but better representation of all sides is needed.

[@jimnikas7]

do we have are own politics? or just do everething us want?

[@ruhaimahamed3705]

Palestine ❤

[@vad0123.]

Lets cancel green deal

[@cdp1843]

They should be speaking in their mother tongue instead of using broken English. That's what interpreters are for.

[@icpdoicpdo....]

Why Putin.....? ❤❤❤❤

[@LucianFulger]

I think that they will have a surprise at the elections.people are voting for extreme right.

[@borgataipatrik]

People are not voting for the commission candidates. People can only vote for the parliament members and they will vote for the commission. It doesn't make any sense anyway, Hungarian MPs elected Ursula Von der Leyen in the previous term, and now Hungary is full of her posters and inflammatory messages.

[@philippg.]

@@borgataipatrik lets hope that the far right is actually in decline after the rise of Magyar Péter. There is a lot of propaganda and a lot of people believe it, but you can't fool a whole nation for too long. We know it the best.

[@reinhold890]

She is like the only politicaly right candidate. Rest are leftists. Also she didnt know about ukr war and how she would respond to that. Thats the main issue why hungarys mps are mad. Because they love that putin moneh so much

[@philippg.]

@@reinhold890 that are only the Fidesz MP's. We will se how the hungarian MP spectrum changes after the rise of Magyar Péter's new party.

[@oliverbender3764]

@@philippg. Were there any interesting new developments? The last time I heard about him, he organised a well-attended rally in I think it was Budapeszt. But after that, there was silence because I don't speak Hungarian so I am having a hard time catching up. Were there any surveys regarding his national popularity and his chances to succeed Orbán Viktor?

[@vad0123.]

Terrible moderator !

[@alextorip4756]

The EU should have five priorities in the coming years: 1. Send Ukraine weapons. 2. Give Ukraine money to buy weapons. 3. Build strong European armies to deter Russia. 4. Fight Russia in the information war. 5. Continue to strengthen economic alliances and close new trade deals with countries and regions outside the European Union.

[@linz8291]

There are 5 responses on your priorities: 1. current raise funds and military budgets from European countries to Ukraine hits all time high and then government debt crisis are more concentrated over the past years. More chemical weapons are preparing for more dangerous conflicts to the eastern Ukrainian border, but who would pay the consequence of inflation rates and chaos? 2. taxpayers should understand there's money for conflicts or for peace. If more conflicts occurs, what's the means of multilateral peace agreements and recent Mins agreement (2014 and 2017). Furthermore, who will pay this conflicts? Your next generations? Your children's and grandchildren? Money for conflicts not peace negotiations would shame on you, they will judge your ideology. 3. If you choose to weaponize two regions, then Military industrial complex are complicated than you thought, it's not just related to your simplified thinking who are your enemy. 4. You have mentioned information war and cyber risks, but needn't to points any cyber attacks from Russia sue to European and Russian ideological conflicts. 5. If you prefer to dangerous conflicts, who willing to play a war game and waste time with you. In other words, you didn't in charge of geopolitical tensions and raise chaos, do not declare any conditions for your bloc and in name of alliance. Thank you.

[@cittadino.pensante]

Stop to support so much Ukr!

[@lucabelcore9082]

It's European Union, not Ukrainian Union

[@tyson00001]

Extreem right is also democratic!! Listen to the people!!!

[@mikusb9011]

What is extreme right?? People who are against rapists and terrorist coming to Europe like a plague?

[@sebastiantonia.3251]

But who wants isolation, hate and fascism

[@tyson00001]

@sebastiantonia.3251 the left clearly

[@ayoCC]

Extreme right is dangerous

[@philippg.]

look at countries having a far right government since a while. Hungary for example. I am hungarian and I won't let any wealthy western man say that I live in a democracy, because I don't. If you don't believe me, I'm here to convince you otherwise. Ok, let us continue. Turkey's far right government, what have they done to democracy? Or in Russia? What has Putins far right government done?

[@SapeHallward]

Not letting parties speak just because they don't have a EU commissioner candidate is undemocratic, idiotic and reckless. This was purely done out of political spite and I will vote on the party representing ID in my country. The EBU is a disgrace.

[@sebastiantonia.3251]

ID is an anti-Europe, anti-climate and anti-diversity group. Why should you vote for them and destroy the future of the young generation.

[@Rune1703]

​@@sebastiantonia.3251 Is there anything wrong in letting the memberstates have more suvereignty and freedom of choice?

[@sebastiantonia.3251]

@@Rune1703Its good that the EU has common rules and standards. Thats why I feel save here.

[@Edelgul1717]

IT wasn't EBU's decision, but a decision of the European Parliament.

[@europeanparliament]

@@Edelgul1717The rules for this debate were established by the EBU. The debate's intention was for political parties to select their lead candidates and articulate their visions for the European Union over the next five years. Since they chose not to propose their candidates and thus not participate, we should respect their decision.

[@tanyoivanov-personal]

Ursula brought Europe to really bad path. Before her everything was good, the ecology was better, people were happier, the corruption was lower. Now it is crimy in most of the big cities. But these countries and cities in Europe were an Art before. 1:15:00 and loads of people who made crimes in their countries uses the migration to escape the law in their own countries and make crimes here.

[@Rune1703]

I find it disgraceful that ECR and ID were not invited to this spitzenkandidat debate. Since when did EU get so undemocratic and intolerent!?

[@Edelgul1717]

They don't have spitzencandidates.

[@NakamuraRTS]

They are choosing not to participate by rejecting the entire system. Reform is needed to make the EU more democratic, but this is not how you get it done.

[@europeanparliament]

They were invited. The debate's intention was for political parties to select their lead candidates and articulate their visions for the European Union over the next five years. Since they chose not to propose their candidates and thus not participate, we should respect their decision.

[@Edelgul1717]

@@europeanparliament but Spitzkandidaten is not legal procedure, but an informal one, that wasn't honored in 2019, why to limit the participation based on an informal procedure. Also we have 10 polical parties, two did not nominate them, but some like the FDA did, yet they were not in the debate as well.

[@anti_western_eugenicists]

I wonder who americans will appoint as european commissioners?????