Eurovision debate between lead candidates for the Commission presidency
© European UnionThe Eurovision debate between the leading candidates for the presidency of the European Commission will take place on Thursday, May 23 from 3:00 PM to 4:45 PM in the plenary meeting room in Brussels.
The debate is organized by the European Radio Union (EBU) in collaboration with the European political parties and the European Parliament.
The EBU has announced the leading candidates for the Presidency of the European Commission who confirmed their presence during the debate on 23 May:
Walter Baier (Austria), European Left
Sandro Gozi (Italy), Renew Europe Now
Ursula von der Leyen (Germany), European People’s Party (EPP)
Terry Reintke (Germany), European Greens
Nicolas Schmit (Luxembourg), Party of European Socialists (PSE)
Candidates will speak English and interpretation will be available in 24 languages.
The debate will be moderated by Martin Ezníček (Czech TV) and Annelies Beck (VRT, Belgium).
The five candidates discuss a number of important topics. Questions can be asked by the audience in the plenary chamber, by viewers attending events organized by the European Parliament’s liaison offices in EU countries, via social media and by the two moderators. Candidates will also be subject to one-on-one questioning by moderators in so-called “spotlight” segments – a new element in the Eurovision 2024 debate.
Special events will be organized across the EU to watch the debate live. These events are organized by the public media in collaboration with the EP liaison offices in EU countries.
On May 16, the media are invited to attend an ERU-organized draw at the European Parliament in Brussels (Agora TV studio, next to VoxBox on the 3rd floor, Spinelli building, 4 p.m.). The draw determines the candidates’ position on the debate stage, as well as the first speaker on each topic and the order of the “spotlight” interviews.
The topics for the debate and more explanation about the rules will also be announced by the EBU on May 16.
How to follow the Eurovision debate
The program on May 23 will be broadcast on EbS and by the ERU with, among other things, the nameplates of the participants on the screen. A “clean” version of the debate will be available on EbS+ , but only for news edits – not for full live broadcast.
The debate will also be streamed on Parliament’s website ( Multimedia Centre ) and via the EBU . Independent filming of the debate from the audience is not permitted.
Parliament’s Multimedia Center will also offer a feed of international sign language and “veyboard” (live transcript in English), as well as subtitled versions in the official EU languages on request once the debate is over. These files will be delivered before 7:00 PM. If you are interested in this format, please email AVNewsDesk@europarl.europa.eu .
On May 23, the candidates will arrive at the protocol entrance of the European Parliament at approximately 12:45 p.m. Here the media can record their “doorsteps”. Press points will be organized near the plenary meeting room after the event. Both the doorsteps and the press points will be live on EbS and the Multimedia Center.
Photograph Source: © European Union
