Young people’s concerns are central to Maastricht’s debate on European elections

NOS News•today, 10:49 PM

Reaching young people was the main goal of the participants in Maastricht in the major European election debate. The Theater aan het Vrijthof was full. Outside, about 250 young voters watched on a screen as the candidates tried to convince them.

The elections for the European Parliament are from 6 to 9 June. The pointe candidates, or the intended party leaders of the parties participating in the elections, showed what they stand for tonight in Maastricht. The central themes were climate change, security and the state of democracy. The points of view on this were sometimes miles apart.

Young people from all over Europe came to Maastricht:

For many voters, the EU is a ‘far-away show’, but not for these young people

For example, the candidate of the right-wing populist party Identity and Democracy announced that he wants to fire “ten thousand bureaucrats” in Brussels. “And we start with you,” Anders Vistisen told European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. His umbrella party wants as little influence as possible from the EU, which according to Vistisen is not democratic.

Other parties, such as that of the Dutchman Bas Eickhout, came with a strongly pro-European message. “Instead of lecturing everyone, you should clean up your own mess,” Eickhout accused his political opponent Tistisen. The Dutchman received a round of applause for his reference to scandals at a number of national parties affiliated with Identity and Democracy.

Von der Leyen started her message with a reference to her own children. “They have been my great motivation through many crises over the past five years to stay the course.” Her campaign strategy is to profile herself more personally, for example as a mother and less as the leader of the Commission. Her slogan: Ursula2024.

Von der Leyen stated that only a united Europe is strong, for example against Russia, and that young people make an important contribution with their votes. There was criticism from other candidates about what the Commission has achieved under her presidency.

Eickhout attacked Von der Leyen for weakening the so-called Green Deal and the recent compensation for protesting farmers. “In 2019, von der Leyen called it her ‘man-on-the-moon project’. But imagine if JFK had suddenly said, ‘Maybe halfway to the moon is also good,’” Eickhout said. He told the young people in the room that much more investment is needed: “We are at the start of a marathon.”

The left-wing candidate Baier argued for rich people to pay more taxes. “1 percent of the population is responsible for 50 percent of emissions, tackle them.” In his speech he referred to the large climate demonstrations by young people.

Before the start of the debate, there was also harsh criticism of the Commission President. She was called a war criminal by a pro-Palestinian activist. Von der Leyen seemed to return to this in the debate. She emphasized that the high number of civilian casualties in Gaza is unacceptable.

She also said the EU “will take action” if Israel continues its announced offensive on the city of Rafah. It was not clear what action she was referring to. There was loud applause from young people in the room when Austrian Walter Baier asked why Brussels had not considered sanctions against Israel.

At the end, the audience of mainly young people could vote on which of the politicians in the debate would be the best President of the Commission. Eickhout emerged as the winner. In a month and a half it will become clear how he did in the actual elections.