1st topic of the Eurovision Debate 2024 between the lead candidates for the Commission presidency: Nicolas SCHMIT, Party European Socialists, Sandro GOZI, Renew Europe Now, Terry REINTKE, European Greens, Ursula von der LEYEN, European People's Party and Walter BAIER, European Left. The candidates discuss on the EU economy that has been affected by global crises such as the Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine, economic growth and employment. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Brussels

SCHMIT, Nicolas (LU, EC)

debate

REINTKE, Terry (Greens/EFA, DE)

economic growth (T)

Employment policy (T2)

GOZI, Sandro (Renew, FR)

Eurovision debate between candidates for the Presidency of the European Commission (T)

VON DER LEYEN, Ursula (DE, EC)

EU's response to covid-19 (T)

2024 European elections (T)

consequences of the war in Ukraine (T)

BAIER, Walter (AT)

BECK, Annelies (BE)

ŘEZNÍČEK, Martin (CZ)

Eurovision Debate 2024 (Clean feed) - Topic 1: Economy and jobs

SOUNDBITE (Original), Martin ŘEZNÍČEK, Eurovision debate 2024 moderator, Okay, let's go for the first question. In the most recent Eurobarometer opinion survey, two of the top three concerns that the EU citizens want to address in this upcoming election were the fight against poverty and also the creation of new jobs. What will you do to meet these specific concerns? Mr. Schmit, let's start with you.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Nicolas SCHMIT, lead candidate of the Party of European Socialists, Well, I think that, first, talking about the economy and talking about socialists, talking about the two sides of the same coin. On poverty, I think we have to mobilize. We have an objective of reducing poverty by 15 million. And we have really to give people the right opportunities. Reducing poverty is obviously helping them, but especially giving them good opportunities, job opportunities. And this is fundamental. Now on the other issue, it is important that people are skilled. I think investing in people is key because you cannot have an improvement of jobs if people are not skilled and the job market is changing extremely rapidly. So this together makes a better economy, but also a better living standard.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Martin ŘEZNÍČEK, Eurovision debate 2024 moderator, Thank you, Mr. Schmidt. And the same question goes to you, Ms Reintke.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Terry REINTKE, lead candidate of the European Greens, In order to be economically successful and competitive in the future, we have to break the so-called contradiction between climate and economy. We need to really push for the possibilities there are in green economy. And with the Green Deal, we have taken the first steps to make that possible. But in order to now really put the Green Deal into reality, create green jobs, have a strong green industry in Europe, we now need to invest. And the biggest mistake that we could do right now is to fall back into times of austerity. We need to invest into our future. That means a common infrastructure in Europe. That means supporting our companies in the green transformation. And that means, indeed, creating equal opportunities for everyone on our labor market. This will be good for the climate, but it will also be good for the people in Europe.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Martin ŘEZNÍČEK, Eurovision debate 2024 moderator, Thank you, Ms. Reintke. Just a reminder, to you, the candidates and everyone else here and also others are watching on your devices. Each of you were given three carts that you can pull up whenever you want to, whenever you want to speak and the first of this afternoon goes to Mr. Baier, please.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Walter BAIER, lead candidate of the European Left, Yeah. Thank you very much. I think we should be concrete when it comes to poverty. We say that one of the main reasons for poverty is the increase of housing prices and of rent. And we want the European Union to involve in this. We want that the European Union, decides on a directive which, obliges the member states to put rent caps and to forbid evictions on primary houses. So I would like to talk on these real problems, real life problems in this debate. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Martin ŘEZNÍČEK, Eurovision debate 2024 moderator, Thank you very much, Mr. Baier.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Annelies BECK, Eurovision debate 2024 moderator, And with that, we move on to, the people following us from outside this building. As we mentioned from the start, in this debate, we are being joined by people watching from all over the EU, and some of them will put their question to the candidates directly. Let's go to France first. Colleagues in Paris. The floor is yours.

Journalist presenting question from Paris, France : Hi, I'm Ben Barnier. I'm a foreign editor with France Television, France's public broadcaster, and we are here at the European Experience in Paris, in the French capital. The context here is of the presidential majority lagging behind in the poll behind the a national rally due to a lack of popularity for Emmanuel Macron, the institution that we represent is on strike due to a reform that will threaten jobs and the independence of this institution. On economics, people feel angry. Salaries are capped, prices are through the roof. And this resentment over prices of electricity in a country that has an expertise over a nuclear plants, that economics is the topic here from France. And for that I'm joined by Mr. He's 24, who studied business, lives in the Normandy town of le Havre, Mr. , the floor is yours. What's your question?

Question from Paris, France : Bonjour. I'm very happy to be here, so this is my question. What impact do you think enlargment will have on Europe's economy? And do you think the current accession process for new members should be sped up or slowed down ?

SOUNDBITE (Original), Annelies BECK, Eurovision debate 2024 moderator, I want to thank you for your question. I'll field it to our candidates immediately. Mr. Gozi, this is for you. A question about the impact of enlargement on Europe's economy and whether the current accession process should be sped up or slowed down. What's your answer?

SOUNDBITE (Original), Sandro GOZI, lead Candidate of Renew Europe Now, Listen, it's not us who choose, it's history. And history records that we have conceived the European project for all the people in the continent, not only for the happy few. We were six at the beginning because we are the only democracies, the only those who could make this choice. But today, of course, we want to unify the continent. Of course we want to open the Union to our Ukrainian brothers and sisters, for example, and to our friends for Western Balkans. But it's clear that it is impossible to enlarge without reform, without treaty reform, without budget reform, it is clear that we have to rethink and to increase the budget for the cohesion policy, to increase the budget for a common and cultural policy, it is clear that we have to respond yes to history, but our citizens cannot pay the price. So we have to rethink the software of Europe to be able to unify the continent.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Annelies BECK, Eurovision debate 2024 moderator, Okay. Thank you for that answer. Mr. Baier, what's your take on this question?

SOUNDBITE (Original), Walter BAIER, lead candidate of the European Left, We don't see the European Union as a closed shop. That's why we are principally in favor of enlargement. At the same time, we think that enlargement should be beneficial to the interests of the working people in the countries who apply for membership and for the working people, particularly for the workers, the nurses, the farmers, in the member countries of the European Union. So yes, to enlargement, but at the same time, enlargement, respecting workers rights, respecting labor rights, respecting democracy and human rights. And for this the European Left Party is available to fight for.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Annelies BECK, Eurovision debate 2024 moderator, Thank you very much, Mr. Baier.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Martin ŘEZNÍČEK, Eurovision debate 2024 moderator, Thank you. Annelise, like we said before, you, the European public have had a significant say in the questions that we're now asking. One of final one on this topic comes from social media from Ernst in Germany, who asks, what about a European pension for people from the private sector? As you can see above us. Ms. Von der Leyen, In recent years, the European Union has introduced a pan-European pension product, but the take up has been rather limited. What is your answer to ends and others on this particular topic?

SOUNDBITE (Original), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, lead candidate of the European People's Party, Well, this proves that we have pension systems in the different member states, which is the core responsibility of the member states. The European Union's responsibilities are not there, but we are supporting a lot, for example, fight against poverty. We have introduced the minimum wage, which is a precondition that work pays off, or for example, the work for better housing. We have a "next generation EU", our investment plan, €81 billion for renovation of houses and 21 billion for social housing, a strong pillar of social rights. So, for the competitiveness of the European Union. Here, I think we should look very closely at how to access better capital. So finish and complete the capital market union and work on skills that are so much needed in the European Union. So Europe can help, even if it's not the core competence.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Martin ŘEZNÍČEK, Eurovision debate 2024 moderator, Ms. Von der Leyen, thank you for your answer.