Left and Right trade blows on economy in EU election debate

The biggest of the tv debates between the candidates wishing to become the President of the European Commission for the period 2014-2019 took place in Brussels on the 15 May 2014.

The Greens' leader Ska Keller was joined by Jean-Claude Juncker of the centre-right European People's Party (EPP), Martin Schulz of the Social Democrats (S&D), Guy Verhofstadt of the Liberals (ALDE) and Alexis Tsipras of the European Left.

The debate was part of the political campaigning ahead of the 22-25 May 2014 elections for the European Parliament.

It was shown all over Europe - on 49 TV channels - and in 24 languages.

The Council of the European Union is not obliged to back any of the candidates proposed by the European parties, although the Treaty of Lisbon says that the EU Member State governments must take note of the development.

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