MCC Brussels Podcast

Trump’s has returned triumphantly to power, with a vision for a bold new era for America. In contrast, Europe's failing elites huddled together in Davos. But the EU is ready with its response to Trump: a revamped censorship machine. 

The first act of the EU has been to revamp the hated Digital Services Act, promising a new "democracy shield" to "protect" EU citizens from views the elites disagree with. But more broadly, they seem set on a host of anti-growth measures. 

The attack on freedom and growth, and the reign of environmental policies, is epitomised by their deliberate destruction of the car industry—targeting the mobility and autonomy the automobile symbolises.

While Trump’s vision signals prosperity, freedom, and renewal, Europe doubles down on policies that stifle innovation and crush economic potential. As America reclaims its pioneering spirit, Europe seems content with stagnation and control. Will Europe rise to meet the challenge of America’s resurgence, or will it remain mired in its elite-driven malaise? The stakes couldn’t be higher.

Jacob Reynolds is joined by Mick Hume, editor of EuropeanConservative.com and Agnieszka Kolek, MCC Brussels' head of cultural engagement.

Todays's museums have abandoned artifacts to focus on activism.

The traditional museum, once the unwavering guardian of cultural treasures, is now unraveling as its purpose shifts—from exhibiting objects to shaping citizens.

John O’Brien sits down with Katalin Deme, Senior Research fellow at MCC Brussels, for a deep dive into her report, “A Museums Renaissance: In defense of a traditional role”.

This conversation explores the shift from the ancient Greek concept of the mouseion—a seat of the muses and scholarly pursuit—towards the modern "activist museum," which aims to “foster diversity and sustainability.”While some celebrate this evolution as a progressive embrace of social justice and ethical values, critics argue that the politicisation of museums compromises their core mission: to preserve and interpret the past. Has the focus on activism and contemporary ethics overshadowed the museum's role as a repository of knowledge and culture?

This week, we dive into the potential fallout of a second Trump presidency on transatlantic relations, examining how it could reshape NATO dynamics, trade agreements, and diplomatic ties between the U.S. and Europe. The growing influence of Elon Musk in European politics takes center stage as we explore how his ventures, rhetoric, and reach are shaping policy debates, particularly around energy, tech, and social media regulation. Additionally, we assess the economic consequences of Europe’s self-inflicted stagnation, from its energy policies to its regulatory burden, and what this means for its competitiveness on the global stage. 

Finally, we turn to Austria’s shifting political landscape, analysing the recent successes of the populist FPÖ and what that tells us about the mood in Europe. We’ll also dissect the fraying of the EU's cordon sanitaire, as populist and far-right parties gain ground and challenge the political status quo.

Our panel includes András László MEP (Patriots for Europe, Fidesz), Hubert Wetzel (Brussels correspondent for Süddeutsche Zeitung), and hosted by Jacob Reynolds, Head of Policy at MCC Brussels.

Join us for a recap of 2024’s political shockwaves. 
From the farmers’ protests to the surge of the nonconformist right in the European Parliament elections, to Trump’s return and the reshaping of Europe’s political order – 2024 was one for the books.

Giorgia Meloni emerges as Europe’s rising star, Hungary shakes up the EU and the once-unshakeable cordon sanitaire begins to fray. Plus, our festive “Naughty and Nice” list highlights the key figures who defined the year.

The disastrous Scholz government has collapsed, leaving Germany reeling in the wake of its failed green utopia and chaotic migration policies. Once the engine of Europe, Germany is now a crucible of political failure and economic decline. In this MCC podcast, we delve into the intricate story of how Scholz’s coalition unravelled, exposing a labyrinth of incompetence, short-sighted energy fantasies, and policies that beckon crisis instead of solutions.

With insights from Professor Werner J. Patzelt, economist Prof. Dr. Thomas Mayer, Richard Schnek, and Professor Frank Füredi, we uncover why this isn’t just the end of Scholz – it’s the start of Germany’s most profound reckoning. The political tapestry is torn, the economy teeters, and the question remains: can Germany reimagine itself, or is this the beginning of its downfall?

Two seismic events have rocked European politics. In Romania, the shocking decision to CANCEL the presidential election sent shockwaves across the continent, revealing the anti-Democratic impulses of European elites for all to see. Meanwhile, Michel Barnier's government in France collapsed, throwing not just Emmanuel Macron but the entire fifth republic into crisis. 

Behind both of these events lie a broad crisis of democracy in Europe. Join Frank Furedi and Jacob Reynolds in this week's episode of the MCC Brussels podcast. We dig into France, Romania and the crisis of democracy in Europe.

Jacob Reynolds is joined by Patricia Santos, Brussels Editor-in-Chief of El Debate, and MCC Brussels' research fellow Richard Schenk to take a look at the surprise victory of "TikTok candidate" Calin Georgescu in Romania, possible revisions to the Green Deal, and how the EU loves celebrating "international days", this time about violence against women.

Joining us today is MEP Tom Vandendriessche as we talk about how Hungary is locking horns with the EU over migration rules and anti-LGBTQ+ laws.

We talk about the ongoing war in Ukraine.  How the farmers’ protests are gaining momentum across the continent, and why Antifa remains a constant headache for Vlaams Belang in Belgium.

Shocking scenes played out in Amsterdam with the apparent hunting down of Jews in the city's streets following a football game. Tensions have risen in France also surrounding a national game between the French and the Israelis. Far from being an incidence of simple hooliganism, this seems to represent a dark strain of Islamism that been allowed to take root in European cities. 

At the same time, Germany's government has collapsed, with new elections in the New Year. This follows months of unresolved tensions and a spiralling economic crisis in "Europe's economic powerhouse". What has caused the issues? What can we expect?

The podcast also digs into the reaction of European leaders to Trump's win, as well as a reflection on the circus surrounding the hearings of the new EU Commissioners taking place in the EU Parliament. 

With Jacob Reynolds, head of policy at MCC Brussels, Pieter Cleppe, editor in chief of Brussels Report, and Richard Schenk, MCC Brussels' research fellow.

Trump has surprised the world and shocked elites across the West. He's promised a new golden age for America - his opponents cry hysterically that it's a turn to fascism.

But the remarkable victory showed Trump's ability to reach out to ordinary people, and new voters like Hispanics and African-Americans, going beyond the narrow identity-politics categories of gender, skin colour, ethnicity or geography. 

In fact, the success of the MAGA movement is also a clear act of defiance against the rule of elitism propagated by American elites who viewed with disdain the desires and lives of average American citizens for years. 

What lessons does Europe need to learn from the election of Trump? How did Trump assemble such a remarkable coalition? What does Trump's populist election mean for Europe and the world? 

Join us for this live edition of the MCC Brussels podcast hosted by John O'Brien, featuring guests: 
•⁠  ⁠Patrick Egan, publisher & CEO for BrusselsSignal.eu
•⁠  ⁠Dr. Richard Johnson, senior lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London
•⁠  ⁠Craig Willy, French-American political writer and consultant

To watch the rest of the event including questions and comments from the audience, head to our live stream page here: https://youtube.com/live/GnnO23C52-o?feature=share

Under pressure from populists across the continent, EU elites seem to be changing their tune slightly on migration. Or are they? This week, we dig into the controversy around Polish PM Donald Tusk's suspension of asylum and a court decision that has thrown Italy's immigration plans into turmoil.

The team also discuss what Moldova's referendum to join the EU says about European geopolitics, new proposals to hand more power to the European Parliament, and the involvement of the European Commission in a Berlin "Adult Entertainment" festival, 

This week's podcast ends with a tribute to the heroes of Hungary's 1956 Revolution.

Jacob Reynolds is joined by Frank Furedi, MCC Brussels' executive director, and Anna Hegedűs, EU Policy Researcher at MCC Brussels.

In this episode of Deep Dives, John O'Brien sits down with Dr. Göran Adamson to discuss MCC Brussels' latest report: Multiculturalism in Flames: Sweden's rude awakening. 

The conversation takes a look at how mass migration has fundamentally transformed Swedish society. From crime to political freedom, and social cohesion to corruption, a toxic combination of state policies of multiculturalism and extreme levels of migration have caused serious issues in Sweden. 

Join us as we examine Sweden’s current migration and integration policies and explore bold alternatives to restore social cohesion.


Dr. Göran Adamson is an associate Professor of Sociology with a PhD from the London School of Economics

 
Link to read full report 
https://brussels.mcc.hu/publication/multiculturalism-in-flames-swedens-rude-awakening

The European Parliament was witness to a truly remarkable scene this week. Ursula von Der Leyen launched an unprecedented attack on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, as Orbán was supposed to be outlining the themes of the Hungarian Presidency of the European Council. In a show of her imperial ambitions, Queen Ursula led an incredible attempt not just to undermine Orbán, but humiliate the Hungarian people. 

One or Orbán's themes for the Presidency was supposed to be competitiveness, and no-where is that more needed than in Germany, where the economic situation is getting increasingly dire. The team asks what went wrong for Europe's industrial powerhouse. 

And finally we examine an incredible ruling from the European Court of Justice, which has now mandated automatic recognition of transgender individuals who change sex on their official documentation. 

Jacob Reynolds, head of policy for MCC Brussels, is joined by Zsófia Tóth-Bíró, head of office for the European Conservative, and Philipp Siegert, MCC Brussels' deputy head of research.

The events of October 7 last year should have shocked the world. A barbaric attack on Jews, carried out by Hamas terrorists and other Islamist militants, resulted in perhaps the worst act of Jew-killing since the Holocaust.
 
Yet in the days, weeks, and months after that fateful day, we have witnessed a shocking series of equivocations, denials and outright apology for the unprecedented violence of Hamas militants. On top of this, as Israel has sought to destroy the terrorists who killed, butchered and raped Jews, seemingly for fun, a network of politicians, NGOs and identity groups have mounted an unrelenting campaign against the Jewish state. The accusations, libels, and double-standards heaped on Israel have sought to delegitimise any action Israel has taken to defend itself.
 
But perhaps most shocking of all has been the resurgence of anti-Semitism in Western societies. Attacks on Jews have intensified, protests celebrating Hamas’ became a fixture of many capital cities, and a casual attitude of anti-Semitism has become ingrained in many conversations around Israel and Jews more broadly.
 
MCC Brussels believes that this resurgent anti-Semitism, and the widespread attacks on the legitimacy of Israel as a state, represent one of the gravest anti-Civilisational threats facing European society.
 
To mark the occasion of the anniversary of October 7, we convened a special episode of the MCC Brussels Podcast to take stock of a shocking year. The podcast opens with a powerful intervention by MCC Brussels’ executive director Frank Furedi, who takes to task those in influential positions in European society who have excused the actions of October 7. Then, Jacob Reynolds, our head of policy, leads a discussion with Mark Birbeck, co-founder of Our Fight, a campaign in support of Israel and against anti-Semitism, and Tamir Wertzberger, foreign affairs director of Action and Protection League, a European NGO combatting anti-Semitism.
 
Please take the time to like and share this podcast to demonstrate that you too stand against anti-Semitism in all its forms.

In this episode, Jacob Reynolds is joined by our policy analyst Bence Szabo and our head of cultural engagement Agnieszka Kołek to dive into the results from the Austrian elections, where the mainstream parties are engaged in a desperate attempt to install another cordon sanitaire to block the election-winning Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ). 

We also take stock of the recent escalations in the middle-East, where Israel's ground invasion of Lebanon to defend itself against Hezbollah has drawn it into confrontation with Iran. The team ask what is at stake in this conflict for Europe. 

We round off with a discussion on the turmoil surrounding the "book launch they tried to cancel",  where our executive director Frank Furedi had the launch of his latest book cancelled by a Brussels bookstore. The event went ahead - and was a rich discussion of the war against the past. We ask: why is Brussels such a hotbed of censorship?

In this episode of Deep Dives, John O'Brien interviews Thomas Fazi about his latest report, "The Silent Coup: The European Commission's Power Grab". 

Fazi's report examines how the European Commission has gradually amassed greater power and authority over the sovereign nations of the European Union. He argues that, through a series of crises—including the sovereign debt crisis, the refugee crisis, Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the war in Ukraine—the Commission has quietly transferred powers from the national level to the supranational level, often bypassing democratic debate. These strategic shifts, which Fazi refers to as "silent coups," have significantly expanded the Commission's influence.

In this episode of Deep Dives, Jacob Reynolds talks to Frank Füredi about his latest book "The War Against the Past".

His book aims to shed light on the systematic attempt to delegitimise the ideals and accomplishments of Western civilisation. Its advocates may see it as a cultural imperative, but a society that loses touch with its past will face a permanent identity crisis. Dismantling the wisdom our historical inheritance provides means betraying humanity’s positive achievements. Challenging this great betrayal, Professor Füredi argues, is one of the most important battles of our time.

A special edition of the podcast - we've gone bilingual! 
Édition spéciale : notre podcast devient bilingue !

We're joined by Jérôme Munier, founder of the populist party Chez Nous, a new party seeking to shake things up in Wallonia. In this episode, we interview with Jérôme in French about his experience setting up the party, and then reflect (in English) on why Belgium needs a challenge to the woke orthodoxy and how the Belgian political establishment are stifling free speech.
Nous accueillons Jérôme Munier, fondateur du parti populiste Chez Nous, un nouveau parti qui cherche à bouleverser la donne en Wallonie. Dans cet épisode, nous nous entretenons avec Jérôme en français sur son expérience de la création du parti, puis nous réfléchissons (en anglais) sur les raisons pour lesquelles la Belgique a besoin d'une remise en question de l'orthodoxie woke et sur la manière dont l'establishment politique belge étouffe la liberté d'expression.

For the version with subtitles for both languages, please check out our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/v--aKTuWBds

In this special episode - live from MCC Feszt in Esztergom, Hungary - we talk to Joanna Williams about her new report 'Sexualising Children? The rise of Comprehensive Sexuality Education'.

Joanna explains how a new paradigm has taken hold in schools - a radical new idea of how to teach sex education. This approach (Comprehensive Sexuality Education, CSE) obsesses with promoting the idea that children are sexual beings and that their sexual pleasure is paramount

As we learn, CSE is designed to be an intrusive moral crusade that invades children's lives. The lessons are designed to manipulate children's attitudes and values in their most private matters. We discuss how elites bypass parents to force social change down everyone's throats.

Read the full report – https://brussels.mcc.hu/publication/sexualising-children-the-rise-of-comprehensive-sexuality-education

In this episode of Deep Dives John O'Brien talks to Richard J Schenk, Research Fellow at MCC Brussels, about his report 'The Silent War on Farming - How EU policies are destroying our agriculture’. The report explains how, under the guise of environmental concerns, European regulation has slowly squeezed farmers – especially livestock farmers – to breaking point. The report examines the transformation of European agricultural policy into a tool of environmental policy as farms disappear across the EU.
 

Links:
 

Read the full report – The Silent War and Farming

https://brussels.mcc.hu/uploads/defau...


Watch the short film of The Silent War On Farming, that exposes how environmental extremism is killing small farmers, featuring Daisy and Gunter Klaasen, poultry farmers, Turnhouts Vennengebied region.
   • The Silent War on Farming: how Europe... 

Watch the interview and Deep Dives with Thomas Fazi about EU Farming and the End of Food Sovereignty

   • Deep Dives: EU Farming and the End of...