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| EU leadership rivals hold big debate in TV landmark | EU leadership rivals hold big debate in TV landmark |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A TV debate going out live to millions of European voters will shortly pit five candidates against each other for the EU's top job - president of the European Commission. | A TV debate going out live to millions of European voters will shortly pit five candidates against each other for the EU's top job - president of the European Commission. |
| The rivals have already held some TV debates, but this is the biggest. | The rivals have already held some TV debates, but this is the biggest. |
| For the first time, national leaders choosing the president are supposed to "take account" of the European election result, which will be known on 26 May. | For the first time, national leaders choosing the president are supposed to "take account" of the European election result, which will be known on 26 May. |
| But they may still decide not to pick any of these five. | But they may still decide not to pick any of these five. |
| The candidates debating shortly are: Jean-Claude Juncker of the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) bloc; Martin Schulz of the Social Democrats (S&D); Guy Verhofstadt of the Liberals (ALDE); Ska Keller of the Greens and Alexis Tsipras of the European Left. | The candidates debating shortly are: Jean-Claude Juncker of the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) bloc; Martin Schulz of the Social Democrats (S&D); Guy Verhofstadt of the Liberals (ALDE); Ska Keller of the Greens and Alexis Tsipras of the European Left. |
| Mr Juncker from Luxembourg, Mr Schulz (Germany) and Mr Verhofstadt (Belgium) are all veterans of EU politics who want more EU integration. Opponents often label them "federalists". | Mr Juncker from Luxembourg, Mr Schulz (Germany) and Mr Verhofstadt (Belgium) are all veterans of EU politics who want more EU integration. Opponents often label them "federalists". |
| The debates are part of the political campaigning ahead of the 22-25 May European elections. | The debates are part of the political campaigning ahead of the 22-25 May European elections. |
| Thursday's candidates' debate at the European Parliament will be broadcast live on the BBC Parliament channel and on the web on Democracy Live, from 21:00 local time (19:00 GMT). | Thursday's candidates' debate at the European Parliament will be broadcast live on the BBC Parliament channel and on the web on Democracy Live, from 21:00 local time (19:00 GMT). |
| Democracy worries | Democracy worries |
| A joint statement from the EPP, S&D and ALDE says the next Commission president must be chosen from amongst the party groups' candidates. "Citizens' expectations will thereby be respected, making the EuEurope's big TV debateropean Union more democratic and closer to them." | |
| ALDE spokesman Neil Corlett told the BBC that "for the first time we have a procedure which can engage people in an election - if it were to be ignored by the heads of state it would be not only an affront to the electorate but damaging for European democracy as a whole". | ALDE spokesman Neil Corlett told the BBC that "for the first time we have a procedure which can engage people in an election - if it were to be ignored by the heads of state it would be not only an affront to the electorate but damaging for European democracy as a whole". |
| But the BBC's Europe editor Gavin Hewitt says the real bargaining is likely to begin at an EU summit on 26-27 June. | But the BBC's Europe editor Gavin Hewitt says the real bargaining is likely to begin at an EU summit on 26-27 June. |
| Under EU rules, the 28 government leaders - known as the European Council - put forward their candidate for the job and the European Parliament then votes on the nominee. The Council is not obliged to back any of the candidates proposed by the European parties. | Under EU rules, the 28 government leaders - known as the European Council - put forward their candidate for the job and the European Parliament then votes on the nominee. The Council is not obliged to back any of the candidates proposed by the European parties. |
| The party group led by the UK Conservatives - the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) - has not put forward a candidate. But it issued an angry statement about being "excluded" from the TV debate. | The party group led by the UK Conservatives - the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) - has not put forward a candidate. But it issued an angry statement about being "excluded" from the TV debate. |
| "We believe in rolling back the EU bureaucracy... We are here to speak for the millions of Europeans who do not want to be part of a federal super-state. Sadly, this important perspective will not be represented in this 'non-debate'," the statement said. | "We believe in rolling back the EU bureaucracy... We are here to speak for the millions of Europeans who do not want to be part of a federal super-state. Sadly, this important perspective will not be represented in this 'non-debate'," the statement said. |