In a momentous occasion, the National Youth Council (KNŻ), in collaboration with ESO and JEF Malta, organised the Final MEP Debate at the prestigious venue of Casino Maltese Valletta.

This unprecedented event, hailed as the largest debate of its kind, was conducted in partnership with MaltaDaily and moderated by Keane Cutajar.

The debate commenced with a focus on three critical themes: Environment, Human Rights, and Migration. Thirteen MEP candidates, representing diverse political affiliations, participated fervently, advocating their stances on these pivotal issues. The lineup included candidates from the Labour Party, Nationalist Party, ADPD, Volt, ABBA, Imperium Europa, as well as Independent candidates.

Structured meticulously, each participant was granted five minutes to articulate their responses to questions pertaining to the designated topics. To ensure the veracity of statements, a real-time live fact-checking mechanism was deployed, reaffirming the commitment to authenticity throughout the discourse.

Following the initial debates, an online vote, facilitated by an anonymous voting system, enabled the audience to nominate the most compelling candidates. The top five candidates advanced to the semi-final round, where they faced spontaneous queries from both the moderator and the audience. The semi-finalists included representatives from various political spectrums: Lee Bugeja Bartolo (PN), Steve Ellul (PL), James Ryder Muscat (Independent), Sandra Gauci (ADPD), and Arnold Cassola (Independent).

After another round of voting, the most persuasive candidates progressed to the final showdown. The ultimate debate unfolded between Steve Ellul (PL) and Arnold Cassola (Independent). Following conclusive deliberations, a final round of voting was conducted, culminating in Arnold Cassola (Independent) emerging as the preferred candidate with 56% of the vote, while Steve Ellul (PL) secured second place with 44%.

This historic event not only marks a pivotal moment in the electoral landscape but also serves as a cornerstone of the broader initiative spearheaded by the National Youth Council KNŻ, titled ‘Youth Activism Matters’. The campaign’s mission is to empower the voices of young people, promote civic education, and nurture a culture of critical thinking. By empowering individuals to engage meaningfully in public discourse, this endeavor aims to encourage participation in the democratic process, particularly as citizens prepare to cast their votes in the forthcoming elections on June 8, 2024.

#MaltaDaily