Key events
Ursula von der Leyen was emphatic in ruling out any alliance with the far-right “Putin’s proxies”, but much less so when it comes to working with hard-right nationalist ECR. “It depends very much on how the composition of the parliament is and who is in what group.”
— Jennifer Rankin (@JenniferMerode) April 29, 2024
If the audience at #MaastrichtDebate was deciding the next European Commission president, Bas Eickhout gets the job. But Ursula von der Leyen is the real winner – the format suited her and she said nothing to upset the ultimate decision-makers, the EU’s 27 leaders.
— Jennifer Rankin (@JenniferMerode) April 29, 2024
Volt has raised concerns about not being able to participate in today’s debate.
Yo @POLITICOEurope! You didn’t invite us to the #MaastrichtDebate because you don’t believe we have a shot, but one of the problems with politics is also that new perspectives don’t get a lot through the media. C’mon you know us, we are the only paneuropea party, @VoltEuropa 🥰💪
— Francesca Romana D’Antuono (@FRDantuono) April 29, 2024
“Values and rights cannot be divided due to a political agenda,” Europe’s socialists argued during the debate.
#MaastrichtDebate with Spitzenkandidaten.
Third round: #EUDemocracy.
“EPP says their cooperation with the far right depends on the next Parliament composition. That’s astonishing.
Values and rights cannot be divided due to a political agenda.
We are coherent: we fight for… pic.twitter.com/YAwIcKz0fN
— PES 🌹🇪🇺 (@PES_PSE) April 29, 2024
The Greens, who are behind in the EU-wide polls, enjoyed the support of young people in the audience.
The Maastricht debate has ended.
Valeriu Ghilețchi for the European Christian Political Movement said that he grew up in the Soviet Union, and that in his wildest dreams he couldn’t have imagined he’d be at this free debate.
Walter Baier for the Party of the European Left said his party is choosing the disadvantaged.
“We think that all these people and you deserve better,” he said.
Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, for the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party, said that security was key, and prosperity and well-being depend upon it.
“Europe needs courageous solutions,” said Nicolas Schmit for the Party of European Socialists.
“We need to be bold on industry, we need to be bold on defence, we need to be bold on fighting climate change – but also we need to be bold on social justice,” he said.
Ursula von der Leyen, in her conclusion, said that being a mother and grandmother has shaped how she sees the future.
“Europe has brought us so much: peace, freedom, prosperity – but today, what I’m really worried about is that these values are under attack, from within and from outside.”
“And therefore, I advocate that we, we who love Europe, stand united and stand proud, for a strong Europe, that we know that we want to build a majority for a strong Europe, and I want to build this majority with you, with my experience, with solutions, and with all my passion I have for Europe, and for that, I ask you for support.”
Anders Vistisen, for the far-right Identity and Democracy Party, said in his closing statement that only the ID group is in opposition – if you want more mass migration, vote for them, if you want tight migration laws vote for us, he said. If you want to be a free European citizen, vote for us, he said.
