Event report

gid://decidim-dife/Decidim::Hashtag/5347/europamitgedacht European policy blind date with candidates for Bundestag elections How much Europe is in the Bundestag election campaign? To answer this question, we (in cooperation with the Young European Federalists Hamburg e. V. and the Europe Direct Info Point Europa Hamburg) invited candidates from Hamburg from the parties currently represented in the Bundestag to an online event. The special feature of our event was that the candidates were behind a digital shadow wall and did not recognise themselves or their party. In this way, we offered the audience the opportunity to listen to the statements of the candidates without prejudice and not to associate certain values by name or party affiliation. The candidates faced the challenge of fully focusing on European policy content The moderator Kathrin Schmid interviewed the candidates about the European political content of their party programs. The focus was on three topics: coronavirus pandemic, climate protection, migration. Before that, the six candidates had three minutes to explain their general, European policy positions. The issue of the coronavirus pandemic included European solidarity, the EU’s ability to act and negotiating power and civil protection. During the discussion, the various positions of the direct candidates became clear. The audience was able to participate actively in the debate through comments and questions in the chat. The change of topic on the European Green Deal will make the positions of the candidate even more concrete. From the aspirations of a system change to the rejection of the European Green Deal, the various party programs on climate policy are represented by Hamburg’s direct candidates. Similarly, views on migration with regard to Afghanistan vary. Should people be helped on the ground or get asylum to the EU? After an hour of debate on these European policy issues, the audience was allowed to vote which candidate they found best. At number 1, candidate 4 was 38 %. Afterwards, the candidates were allowed to turn on their camera and reveal themselves and their party. The winner was Clara Goldmann of the Greens.