The debate is organized by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in collaboration with European political parties and the European Parliament.
The EBU has announced the main candidates for Commission President who have confirmed their presence at the debate on 23 May:
Candidates will speak in English and interpretation will be provided in 24 languages.
The debate will be moderated by Martin Řezníček (Czech Television) and Annelies Beck (VRT, Belgium).
The five candidates will debate several key topics. Questions will be asked by the public present in the plenary chamber, by viewers watching events organized by Parliament’s liaison offices in EU member states, submitted via social media, and by the two moderators. Candidates will also face individual questions from moderators in so-called “Spotlight” segments, a new feature of the Eurovision 2024 debate.
Special events to follow the debate live will be organized across the EU by public service media in cooperation with the European Parliament’s liaison offices in the Member States.
On May 16, media are also invited to attend a draw organized by the EBU at the European Parliament in Brussels (Agora TV studio, next to VoxBox on the 3rd floor, Spinelli building, 4:00 p.m.). The drawing will determine the candidates’ position on the debate stage, the first speaker on each topic and the order of the “spotlight” interviews.
The topics of the debate and an explanation of the rules will also be announced by the EBU on May 16.
How to follow the Eurovision debate
The May 23 show will be broadcast on EBS and the EBU with participants’ on-screen names and other essential graphics. A stripped-down version of the debate will be available on EbS+ but only for news editions, not for full live broadcast. It will also be streamed on Parliament’s website (Multimedia Centre) and accessible from the EBU streaming platforms. No independent filming of the debate from the chamber will be permitted.
Parliament’s Multimedia Center will also provide an International Sign Language and velotype (live transcription in English) feed, as well as subtitled versions in official EU languages on request once the debate has concluded. These files will be delivered before 7:00 p.m. CET. If you are interested in this format, write to [email protected].
The candidates will arrive at the ceremonial entrance to the European Parliament around 12:45 p.m., when the media will be able to register their doorsteps. Press briefings will be organized near the Hemicycle after the event. The presentations and press briefings will be broadcast live on EbS and on the Multimedia Center.
Accreditation and access to the Eurovision debate
All accredited EU interinstitutional media holding an annual EP media badge will have access to Parliament for the debate upon presentation of their badge, without having to apply for separate accreditation.
All other journalists wishing to attend the debate will need to submit a request for short-term media access via the online accreditation system (JOUREG). If they already have an EP media badge, this will be activated remotely once approved on the registration portal. If they do not have an EP media badge, once their application has been approved in JOUREG, journalists can collect it from the Accreditation Center in front of the Parliament (Esplanade Solidarność, office 01F035).
Media will be able to follow the debate from a limited number of press seats at the back of the plenary room. You can reserve a place in the audience via this link by Thursday May 16.
If you would like to book other services and audio-visual facilities for the debate, please email [email protected]also by Thursday May 16.
For the graphic press, a photo moment will take place in the Hemicycle around 1:45 p.m.
Access to the car park on the day of the Eurovision debate
Media requiring a space in the Parliament car park will need to reserve their parking space via the IZIX app a few days before the event. If journalists do not yet have the application, they can request it from [email protected]
Originally published in The European Times.
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