The Spitzenkandidaten – this time was it different?

The billboards that surrounded the European Parliament's buildings in Brussels proclaimed "this time it's different". That, at least, was the idea.

One thing that is beyond dispute is that the 2014 campaign was certainly far more Brussels-centric than any previous European election. This was thanks to the 'Spitzenkandidaten'.

From the handful of US Presidential-style debates to the final, slightly surreal 'election meets Eurovision' event in the Parliament on Sunday night, having ...