About: Maastricht
Unhappy birthday: EU low-key on Maastricht’s 25th anniversary
A quarter of a century after the summit in the Dutch town of Maastricht that gave birth to the euro, the EU will mark the anniversary today (9 December) with little fanfare as it battles a wave of crises.![Europe's Spitzenkandidaten for the 2014 European elections [EURACTIV/European Parliament]](https://www.euractiv.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/04/juncker_schulz_verhofstadt_keller_bove_tsipras_candidates_commission_ep2014_2.jpeg)
Wrap-up: EU ‘Spitzenkandidaten’ debate in Brussels
On Thursday evening (15 May), five contenders for the European Commission presidency faced each other in the 'Eurovision Debate' in Brussels. Review the debate and read up on the discussion as it happened, in our wrap-up below.![Use of Twitter hashtag #EUdebate2014 during Maastricht debate [EURACTIV]](https://www.euractiv.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/04/twitter-map-maastricht.png)
Twitter wins at Maastricht presidential debate
Even though the first presidential debate in Maastricht on Monday (28 April) did not produce a clear winner, Twitter has shown it can play a prominent role in the EU election campaign.
EU Commission candidates show their ‘faces’
The first European presidential debate on Monday evening (28 April) in Maastricht turned out to be more of a warm-up session than a real contest of ‘visions’ for the future of Europe. InfographicPromoted content
INFOGRAPHIC: EU Presidential Debates 2014
With less than four weeks to go before polls open on 22-25 May, the parties' main candidates for the EU Commission presidency face each other in a series of 'Presidential Debates', broadcasted by national and European media. The main candidates, or 'Spitzenkandidaten', are put forward by their parties as official candidates to lead the EU executive. They will battle it out over their vision for the EU, discussing raging unemployment, energy, economy and all the big challenges facing europe today. Seven debates in total are planned. Four of these will feature at least four candidates, who represent mainstream parties. The two main contenders in the race, the socialist Martin Schulz, and centre-right Jean-Claude Juncker, will also engage in three 'face-off' debates.
INFOGRAPHIC: EU Presidential Debates 2014
With less than four weeks to go before polls open on 22-25 May, the parties' main candidates for the EU Commission presidency face each other in a series of 'Presidential Debates', broadcasted by national and European media.