On 2 May, Team Europe member Guy Verhofstadt took part in the Spitzenkandidaten 2019 debate, organised by the European University Institute and the Financial Times.

The candidates were challenged by the moderator on a number of topics, including those related to climate change, security and EU foreign policy.

“The problem today is the following: the European Union is under threat. Not the European project. Since Brexit, massively, the public opinion all across Europe is more pro-European than before Brexit,” Verhofstadt said. “But, at the same time, we have a problem with the Union that doesn’t fulfil, in citizens’ eyes, the European dream. And that will be a key issue in the coming 5 years.”

Verhofstadt also highlighted the importance of creating “European champions” in the fields such as digital, tech and sustainability, and reminded the audience of the importance of cooperation.

“We are living in a new world order. Only together in a real European Union we can succeed and survive.”

You can watch a recording of the debate below.

https://twitter.com/guyverhofstadt/status/1123990143008935938?s=20

https://twitter.com/ALDEParty/status/1123985683037728768?s=20