watch the debate of the “Spitzenkandidaten”, who are aiming for the presidency of the European Commission

Who to compete with Ursula von der Leyen, and perhaps succeed her? In parallel with the European elections, which will determine the composition of the new European Parliament after June 9, another campaign is taking place more discreetly: that of the “spitzenkandidaten”, the contenders for the presidency of the European Commission. THURSDAY May 23 from 3 p.m., franceinfo (on TNT channel 27) broadcasts the debate between the five confirmed candidates for this strategic EU position, which will be decided by the Member States. Follow these discussions live.

• The current president is running for re-election. The German Ursula von der Leyen, who has been at the head of the Commission since 2019, chose to run again after a mandate marked by major crises, and received renewed support from the European People’s Party. During this debate, she will have to defend her record. In 2019, she was chosen by a very small majority, with the support of Emmanuel Macron in particular. But after five years in office, her French allies seem to have abandoned her.

• Four other contenders on the board. Facing Ursula von der Leyen will be the Austrian Walter Baier, president of the Party of the European Left; the Italian Sandro Gozi, secretary general of the European Democratic Party and one of the three contenders from the Renew Europe group, to which the French Renaissance party belongs; the German Terry Reintke, co-president of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament and member of the duo of environmentalists candidates; thus the Luxembourger Nicolas Schmit, candidate of the Party of European Socialists and current European Commissioner for Employment and Social Rights.

• A debate boycotted by the far right. Only five parties presented candidates for this position, out of the seven political groups in the European Parliament. The Identity and Democracy group and the European Conservatives and Reformists group, both from the far right, do not support the “spitzenkandidaten” system, and have therefore not nominated a candidate for the presidency of the Commission.

• Other very high positions in the balance. At the end of the European elections, on a date which is not yet known, the leaders of the 27 member countries of the EU will discuss during the same summit the presidency of the Commission as well as the other “top jobs”, i.e. positions at the head of the main European institutions. These choices must reflect the political balance in the EU following the elections. Only the candidate for head of the Commission must be approved by Parliament, by an absolute majority.