Top candidates: Who will lead the European Commission? | Material

You'll have the opportunity to learn more about this year's top contenders during the Eurovision debate on May 23. It is organized by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and takes place in the European Parliament.

What is the top filter process?

The top candidate process gives voters in EU elections the opportunity to influence who will lead the European Commission.

Before the election, parties put forward candidates for the position and people in the EU can then support their bid by voting for the opposite party.

How does the top filter process work?

Since 2014, political parties have fielded the best candidates for the EU elections. This is what Parliament has advocated for a long time.

In the last resolution of December 2023, MEPs called for a clear and credible link between the choice of voters and the election of the President of the Commission. MEPs said a majority in Parliament was needed, and backdoor deals in the European Council must end.

The candidate from the European Political Community who obtains the largest number of seats in the elections must be a candidate to lead the European Commission, the executive body of the European Union.

The European Union treaties provide After the elections, the European Union countries nominate a candidate for the position of President of the European Commission, but they must take into account the results of the European Parliament elections.

Parliament elects the new Commission President by an absolute majority (half of the current members plus one). If one candidate does not receive enough votes, EU countries must propose another candidate.

Who are the main candidates for the 2024 European Parliament elections?

European political parties are not required to field a leading candidate, and some have chosen not to do so. Some also decided to nominate more than one candidate.

Here are some of the main candidates announced by European political groups:

• Ursula von der Leyen (European People's Party Group, Conservatives)
• Nicholas Schmidt (Progressive Union of Social Democrats group in the European Parliament)
• Sandro Gozzi, Valerie Heyer, and Mary Agnes Strack Zimmerman (Renew Europe now, liberals)
• Bas Eeckhout and Terje Reintke (Greens)
• Raoul Romeva, Miles Rosberg (European Free Alliance)
• Walter Baer (Left group in the European Parliament)
• Valerio Gelici (European Christian Political Movement)
• Anya Hirschel and Marcel Kulaga (European Pirate Party)

European Conservatives and Reformists Group He decided not to put forward a major candidate. The Identity and Democracy Group did not present a candidate either.

Who are the participants in the Eurovision debate on May 23?

The European Broadcasting Union called on the political parties represented in the European Parliament to nominate a candidate for the position of President of the Commission to participate in the discussion.
The candidates who confirmed their participation in the debate are:
• Walter Baer (left group in the European Parliament)
• Sandro Gozzi (Renew Europe Now)
• Ursula von der Leyen (European People's Party)
• Terry Reintke (The Greens)
• Nicholas Schmidt (Progressive Union of Social Democrats)

How to follow and participate in the Eurovision debate on May 23

Before the debate, the EBU will pose questions to voters of the leading candidates on its social media channels.

People will be able to follow and discuss the debate on social media using the hashtag #EurovisionDebate. To discuss the EU elections generally, they can also use the hashtags #UseYourVote and #EUelections2024.

The discussion can be followed live on this link Or here With international sign language.