Eurovision Debate

The Eurovision Debate is a live televised debate between the lead political candidates (“Spitzenkandidaten”) running to be the next President of the European Commission. Produced by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and broadcast across Europe via the Eurovision network, it is hosted by the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium. The aim of the debate is to help public service media play their role in the democratic process by helping to better inform citizens and encouraging participation in the elections.

Eurovision Debate
Also known asEurovision Presidential Debate
European Commission Presidential Debate
GenreTopical debate
Directed byRob Hopkin (2014)
StarringCandidates for the Presidency of the European Commission
Original language(s)English
No. of episodes2 editions
Production
Production location(s)Espace Léopold, Brussels, Belgium
Running time90 minutes
Production company(s)European Broadcasting Union
DistributorEurovision
Release
Original release15 May 2014 (2014-05-15) –
present (2019)
External links
Production website

History

The first Eurovision Debate took place on 15 May 2014 and was the first-ever live televised format to bring democratic political debate to a pan-European level.[1][2] Italian journalist and Director of the Rai News24 Monica Maggioni moderated the debate with RTÉ's Conor McNally as its social media co-presenter.[3] The Eurovision Debate is produced by the EBU under the guidance and the supervision of senior editors from European Public Service Media (the “Editorial Board”) and was directed by Rob Hopkin.[4]

The 2019 edition was broadcast live from the European Parliament in Brussels on 15 May 2019 at 21:00 CET, moderated by TV anchors Markus Preiss (ARD/WDR), Émilie Tran Nguyen (France Télévisions) and Annastiina Heikkilä (Yle)[5] and broadcast by the EBU's public service media members and others throughout Europe. During the 90-minute debate, the following issues were to be addressed: migration, unemployment, security and climate change, and the role of Europe in the world. In fact, the debate was more about the common minimum wage, the European business tax, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the border control associated with solidarity, and the use of trade to improve working conditions in Europe.[6]

Format

The debate is presented by 2 television anchor personalities who ask the candidates on stage a series of questions on pre-determined themes, although the questions themselves are not known in advance. The debate obeys the strictest rules of transparency and neutrality, all candidates are allocated exactly the same speaking time. Interpretation is provided in almost all EU official languages.

The order in which the candidates take the floor is decided by a draw which happens 5 weeks before the debate itself. The Eurovision Debate also uses social media to spark debate among citizens throughout Europe around issues that are topical for the European Parliament elections. A third anchor person is monitoring the exchanges online and reports to the journalists on stage so that the social media dimension is taken into account during the discussions.

Candidates
2019 Eurovision Debate candidates on stage. Left to right: Zahradil, Cué, Keller, Vestager, Timmermans, Weber.

2014
  1. Alexis Tsipras (Greece, European Left)
  2. Ska Keller (Germany, European Green Party)
  3. Martin Schulz (Germany, Party of European Socialists)
  4. Jean-Claude Juncker (Luxembourg, European People’s Party)
  5. Guy Verhofstadt (Belgium, Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe)

2019

The speaking order and the placing of the lead candidates were decided at the allocation draw held on 4 April.[7]

  1. Nico Cué (Spain, European Left)
  2. Ska Keller (Germany, European Green Party)
  3. Jan Zahradil (Czech Republic, Alliance of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe)
  4. Margrethe Vestager (Denmark, Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe)
  5. Manfred Weber (Germany, European People’s Party)
  6. Frans Timmermans (Netherlands, Party of European Socialists)

Broadcast

The debate is broadcast in more than 25 countries on TV, radio and online.[8] For the 2019 edition, the broadcasters are EBU members Azerbaijan (İctimai Television), Belgium (VRT and RTBF), Czech Republic (ČT), Denmark (DR TV), Italy (Rai News24), Germany (Phoenix), Spain (RTVE Canal 24h, TvG2 and Canal Sur 2), Netherlands (NPO), Bulgaria (BNT), Cyprus (CyBC), Croatia (HRT), Estonia (ERR), Ireland (RTÉ News Now), Finland (Yle), France (France Info, Arte, Public Sénat and TV5Monde), Greece (ERT), Georgia (GPB), Poland (TVP and PR), Romania (TVR), Sweden (SVT), the United Kingdom (BBC Parliament) and the United States (Kingston TV).[9]

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See also

References
  1. "The Eurovision Debate: one week until first TV face-off with all five European Commission Presidency candidates". www.ebu.ch. European Broadcasting Union. 8 May 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  2. "EU leadership rivals hold big debate". BBC News. 15 May 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2019 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  3. "Conor McNally Co-presents European Commission Presidential Debate". www.rte.ie. RTÉ. 30 April 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  4. "Eurovision Debate press briefing sets Brussels abuzz". www.ebu.ch. 6 May 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  5. "Leading European Parliament contenders debate head to head". eng.lsm.lv. LSM. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  6. Rios, Beatriz (16 May 2019). "First clashes liven up last EU Spitzenkandidat debate ahead of election". Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  7. "Speaking order for lead candidates in Eurovision Debate decided". www.ebu.ch. 4 April 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  8. "EBU makes history with the Eurovision Debate". www.ebu.ch. European Broadcasting Union. 16 May 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  9. "Candidates for Presidency of the European Commission take to the stage". www.ebu.ch. European Broadcasting Union. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2019.

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