On 15 May 2019, the candidates for the presidency of the European Commission take part in a live Eurovision debate at the Parliament in Brussels. Introduction of the debate by Emilie Tran Nguyen, France Televisions, and Markus Preiss, ARD Germany, moderators, and opening statements by Frans TIMMERMANS, lead candidate of the Party of European Socialists (PES), Manfred WEBER, lead candidate of the European People’s Party (EPP), Ska KELLER, lead candidate of the European Greens (Greens), Nico CUÉ, lead candidate of the European Left (EL), Margrethe VESTAGER, lead candidate of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) as member of Team Europe, and Jan ZAHRADIL, lead candidate of the Alliance of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe (ACRE). Followed by the Social Media Hub Launch by Annastiina Heikkila (YLE).  The following transcription is the result of an automatic process. Check Against delivery.

Brussels

WEBER, Manfred (EPP, DE)

TIMMERMANS, Frans (NL, EC)

KELLER, Ska (Greens/EFA, DE)

VESTAGER, Margrethe (DK, CE)

ZAHRADIL, Jan (ECR, CZ)

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

2019 European elections (T)

CUÉ, Nico (BE)

Presidency of the European Commission / Eurovision Debate - Introduction and opening statements by the lead candidates: Frans TIMMERMANS, Manfred WEBER, Ska KELLER, Nico CUÉ, Margrethe VESTAGER and Jan ZAHRADIL. Followed by Social Media Hub Launch

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/19341304/I172032Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

SOUNDBITE (English), host, Good evening. Welcome to Eurovision debate. There is just over a week to go before Europe goes to the polls, it's a European Parliament elections. So tonight we put the big questions to the people who want to lead the European Commission for the next five years.

SOUNDBITE (English), host, We are live from the European Parliament in Brussels where six candidates for the position of president of the European Commission will make their pitch for Europe's top job. We are LIVE across Europe on members of Eurovision. But we are also being watched around the world online. You're all very welcome.

SOUNDBITE (English), host, Hosts introduce themselves

SOUNDBITE (English), host, But it's not about us. It's about the candidates for Europe's top job. So please welcome Nicole QE a Spanish Vogue Belgian twit unionists and lead candidate for the European left. From Germany. Some Germany's getting help from the European Green Party its host second Univision debate. Some the Chesapeake Beach. Yes Zoraida a member of the European Parliament for alliance of conservatives. And we feel it in Europe.

SOUNDBITE (English), host, But it's not about us. It's about the candidates for Europe's top job. So please welcome Nico CUE, a Spanish-Belgian trade unionists and lead candidate for the European Left. From Germany, Ska KELLER for the European Green Party, it's her second Eurovision debate. From the Czech Republic, Jan ZAHRADIL a member of the European Parliament for the Alliance of the Conservatives and Reformists in Europe. From Denmark, acting EU Competition Commissioner, Margrethe VESTAGER, for the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Europe. Frem Germany, Manfred WEBER, Chair of the European People's Party and Spitzenkandidat, and finally from The Netherlands, Frans TIMMERMANS, First Vice-president of the European Commission and candidate for the Party of European Socialists. 

SOUNDBITE (English), host, Yes I will be your social media host this evening. So you are a crucial part of this debate. Throughout the program I will be monitoring the millions of Europeans who are following us online asking questions reacting and engaging with us in the digital world. So tell us what matters to you by using the hashtag #TellEurope and make your voice heard.

SOUNDBITE (English), host, Of course every debate has rules and this one is not different. So this debate will last 90 minutes. Each candidate will have one minute to answer each question and during the debate you will have each two opportunities to challenge other candidates.

SOUNDBITE (English), host, And we really encourage all of you to make use of this rebuttal card because then we have really a lively debate here on stage. Each participant will also have the opportunity to make opening and closing statements, speaking order was decided in a draw, and let us begin. Nicolas CUE, the floor is yours.

SOUNDBITE (French), Nico CU&#201;, EL lead candidate, Good evening. My name is Nico CUE. I am a candidate for the European Left party. I was born in Asturias, is in the North of Spain where my father was a miner but he was forced to leave Spain because he was opposed to the Franco regime, the dictatorship. We were welcomed in Belgium by people who showed a lot of solidarity towards us. We were able to build a home, work and study and it is this solidarity that really gave me the desire to work with Europe. It's this Europe of solidarity that I've always fought for as a trade union representative. And that is the Europe that I want to continue to defend. But unfortunately this is also the Europe of tax evasion. The Europe of the banks, the Europe that has failed to show solidarity. So I would like to create a Europe of solidarity.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ska KELLER, Greens lead candidate, Hello everyone. This debate and these elections are important because people from all over Europe are looking at us and they are asking for solutions. They know many things are going wrong, from the climate crisis to austerity to the backlash against democracy and civil liberties. Europe is struggling to fulfil the promises that has been built on. And tonight I want to make the case for a different Europe. One that protects our common planet, the only one that we have. A social Europe where everyone finds decent housing and has a decent wage. We as Greens take the battle for European Union where the big companies pay their fair share where women are truly treated equal, where minorities are respected and human rights are protected. I know it is possible to build this different Europe if we build it together and if we build it with courage.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jan ZAHRADIL, ACRE lead candidate, Good evening everyone. I believe that we cannot meet all those new challenges of 21st century with old and outdated scheme of ever closer union which has been designed 50 years ago for a different age. Therefore I would propose rather EU which is scaled back, which is flexible, which is decentralised. I would like to have a European Commission which respects all its members, regardless whether they are big or small, or whether they are from the West or from the East. I would like to have a European Commission which respects national governments and which cooperates with them, which doesn't fight them, which doesn't patronise them which doesn't lecture them. Simply speaking, I would like to have European Union which is doing less but better and which is able to find new equilibrium between national and European level. And this is the European Union and this is the change I am ready and able to deliver.

SOUNDBITE (English), Margrethe VESTAGER, ALDE lead candidate as member of Team Europe, I am Margrethe VESTAGER, I'm from Denmark. My husband and I have three daughters. I was a minister a political leader. Today I work for you as Commissioner of competition. I make sure that businesses play by the rulebook so you as a consumer have choice quality and fair prices. For me the most important thing is that you are empowered to live the life you want to live in your community. That you feel counted in and that you have a fair chance of making it. Europe is the best place to live today especially if you're a woman. We have achieved so much. That doesn't make everything good. We have work to do: to fight climate change, to deal with technology, to create societies built on the rule of law where you can provide for yourself to make that everyday life. That's why I'm here.

SOUNDBITE (English), Manfred WEBER, EPP lead candidate, I want to thank you. I had the opportunity in the last weeks and months during my electoral campaign to travel a lot around the European Union and to meet a lot of Europeans and I experienced that we have the same concerns and even the same fears, and the same hopes for the future of our continent. And what I want to tell you with this is a method. How I want to work on Commission level, on European level, a Europe which is close to people, a Europe which cares about the concrete issues from the citizens a Commission of the people. That is what I want to work for.

SOUNDBITE (English), Manfred WEBER, EPP lead candidate, And having this in mind I think Jean-Claude JUNCKER, the current Commission President, called and named his Commission the Commissioner of the last chance. And he is an EPP's Commission president, and I think he did a good job. I want to call the next Commission not the Commission of a last chance. I want to call it the Commission of a fresh start, of a new era, of readiness and openness for optimism, for showing to the world that we can achieve as Europeans so much together.

SOUNDBITE (English), Frans TIMMERMANS, PES lead candidate, Thank you, good evening. You know you have the future of Europe in the palm of your hands. Next week you will decide the fate of Europe in the next five years. There are those who say that Europe and its citizens are best served by breaking down the European Union. I don't believe in that, there are those who say to avoid breaking down the European Union we have to maintain it as it is. I don't believe that either. I believe to save and strengthen Europe we need to fundamentally reform Europe. It's time! Big companies finally started paying taxes.

SOUNDBITE (English), Frans TIMMERMANS, PES lead candidate, It's time we introduce a minimum wage in every member state. It is time we have equality in pay of men and women. It is time we put an end to violence against women in Europe. It is time we enforce the rule of law in every member state so that everybody about abides by the rules. It is time we put the climate crisis and sustainability on the very very top of the list of the next Commission. That is my proposal to you tonight.

SOUNDBITE (English), host, Thank you to all for your introduction. But you know it's two debates to you in front of your screen so let's join the social media hub.

SOUNDBITE (English), host, Welcome to the social media hub as you see we are here following all your comments and questions with my team. And yes the conversation it has already started it has been very lively. Questions have actually been pouring in already before the debate and hashtag tell Europe. It is already trending in Belgium and in Germany. And as you can imagine there are some topics that are already very popular online

SOUNDBITE (English), host, Any idea what they are? Well let me tell you: Brexit, climate change, digital privacy and migration. In fact 'Sea Watch' has tweeted using hashtag #TellEurope that they rescued 65 people from the Mediterranean today. So clearly this is a major issue. So make your voice heard. Keep your comments coming and questions coming and use the hashtag #TellEurope. Let's get back to the main stage and get started with the debate.