"Debian will switch back to using GNOME as the default desktop environment for the upcoming Debian 8.0 Jessie release, due out in 2015. The decision is based on accessibility and systemd integration, along with a host of other reasons. Debian switched away from GNOME back in 2012."

-- source: http://linux.slashdot.org/story/14/09/23/2312251

Cheers, Peter