The far-right Identity and Democracy’s representative, Anders Vistisen, wrote on social media ahead of the debate:

“The entire EU system has tried to prevent me and the right wing from participating in the EU top candidate debate tonight. They want to exclude right wing votes! They didn’t succeed - so tonight I will tell the truth about the EU’s disaster course directly to Ursula and the rest of the EU!”

Bas Eickhout, the lead candidate for the European Greens, said ahead of this evening’s debate that “we all want to know whether Ursula Von der Leyen is committed to continuing and enforcing the Green Deal.”

“We need a true deal to ensure European competitiveness vis-à-vis China and the US. We need climate action and to make us independent from fossil fuels coming from autocrats. Or is Von der Leyen prepared to keep Europe dependent on Russian gas?” he added.

Eickhout also highlighted concerns about alleged links between some far-right politicians and Russia and China.

“Will the EPP and ALDE defend democracy in the European Union? Or will they collaborate with the far right, as they are increasingly doing at national level? Will Von der Leyen draw a clear red line so that her European People’s Party EPP stops collaborating with the far-right ECR and ID groups?” he said.

This year’s debate in Maastricht, ahead of the June European parliament elections, is an unusual one. In theory, the debate is set to “feature Europe’s top candidates for Commission President, representing key party groups,” according to organisers.

But while there will be eight contenders on stage, eyes will be focused on just one: Ursula von der Leyen, the current European Commission president and lead candidate of the centre-right European People’s party.

Von der Leyen is widely considered the leading contender to be selected as Commission president (again). And while some other names have been floated, they will not be present in Maastricht, leaving von der Leyen as the only top-level political heavyweight to participate in the debate.

The other debate participants will be:

Nicolas Schmit for the Party
of European Socialists

Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann for the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party

Bas Eickhout for the European Green Party

Anders Vistisen for the Identity and Democracy Party

Walter Baier for the Party of the European Left

Maylis Roßberg for the European Free Alliance

Valeriu Ghilețchi for the European Christian Political Movement

Good evening and welcome to a special edition of the Europe blog, focused on the EU election debate in Maastricht.

Stay tuned and send your comments to lili.bayer@theguardian.com.