Finland licenses political debate format The Political Assembly for 2027 elections

Het Conclaaf, the original version of The Political Assembly

Finland’s MTV Oy is preparing a local version of political debate format The Political Assembly, scheduled to air ahead of the nation’s 2027 general election.

The format pairs prominent politicians with debaters and citizens to address core societal issues.

The Finnish edition, produced locally by Podzilla Studios, represents the format’s third local version, while casting is actively underway in three additional territories.

Meanwhile, in Denmark, TV2’s version – Højskolen – will return next month to coincide with the launch of the Danish parliamentary year.

Originally created as Het Conclaaf by Eric Goens at Bargoens for VTM in Belgium, The Political Assembly achieved critical acclaim for its public impact ahead of the 2024 Flemish elections.

The format, distributed by Belgium’s Be Entertainment, has also previously been picked up for adaptation by RTL in the Netherlands.