EU Confidential

Finally. After months of paralysis, the new leadership team in Brussels is up and running. Then again, the power trio of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa and foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas might already be out of date, reflecting centrist majorities that don’t really exist anymore and pushing for support for Ukraine that’s already on the wane in the age of Donald Trump.

Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by POLITICO’s own power trio of reporters — Barbara Moens, Aitor Hernández-Morales and Nick Vinocur — to debate whether the new dynamic in Brussels can face the challenges ahead and avoid devolving into petty pitfalls like the so-called sofagate scandal.

Next, the latest installment of the Berlaymont Who’s Who series looks at Marta Kos, the new gatekeeper for aspiring European Union members. 

Lastly, we listen in to a clip from our sister podcast Power Play about the political crisis in Paris. Anne McElvoy talks to POLITICO's Editor-at-Large in France Marion Solletty and Alexandre Kouchner, political analyst and lecturer at the Sciences Po university. Listen here to the full episode: "French connection: Trump meets Macron in free fall"

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Romania’s presidential election delivered a TikTok-fueled political shock, with pro-Russia, far-right candidate Călin Georgescu winning the first round. His unexpected rise has stunned the establishment and raised serious questions about NATO, Ukraine, and Europe’s future.

EU Confidential host Sarah Wheaton speaks with former NATO spokesperson and Romanian native Oana Lungescu to unpack what Georgescu’s victory means for European security, and how Trump’s return to the White House could fuel the far-right and Euroskeptic wave spreading across the continent.

Later, POLITICO’s Max Griera breaks down the final vote on Ursula von der Leyen’s new European Commission and the backroom deals that made it happen, revealing shifting power dynamics in Brussels.

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While Donald Trump is filling out his top team, the EU faces a leadership vacuum. Thank Germany, where Chancellor Olaf Scholz has been on the phone with Vladimir Putin and faces gloomy prospects in likely snap elections. EU Confidential host Sarah Wheaton is joined by Gordon Repinski, POLITICO’s executive editor for Germany and host of the Berlin Playbook podcast, and Liana Fix, Europe fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, to unpack how domestic chaos in Berlin translates to transatlantic chaos for the rest of the bloc.

Then, Sarah checks in with Eric Bazail-Eimil, POLITICO.com’s expert on U.S. foreign policy, to learn more about Marco Rubio, Trump’s surprisingly conventional pick to serve as Washington’s top envoy. Are the sighs of relief in Brussels justified? 

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Europe’s energy system is entering a period of radical change. The net-zero transition will require a significant overhaul of our infrastructure and our supply chains, right when geopolitical tensions are forcing the continent to find new sources of oil and gas and develop new networks of energy collaboration with allies. In this special podcast episode produced by POLITICO Studio for Equinor, we explore these changes and their impact on energy policy across the continent.

Vulnerabilities of Europe’s energy supply range from cyberattacks on energy infrastructure, to securing access to critical minerals – but crises can be turned into opportunities. Building overall energy resilience requires not independence, but interdependence, as countries pool resources to ensure security through international cooperation and diversified energy supplies that will bring them closer to net zero and secure long-term energy supply.

Hear from Alberic Mongrenier, executive director at the European Initiative for Energy Security; Jeppe Kofod, Denmark’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs; Evan Fuery, senior vice president for corporate security and crisis management at Equinor; and James Appathurai, assistant secretary general for innovation, hybrid and cyber at NATO, on the ambitious steps countries are taking to future-proof their energy systems.

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There were 26 hearings and 72 hours of questions, answers and non-answers — and in the end, none of it mattered. Politics clearly trumped policy as MEPs grilled the aspiring new commissioners, with partisanship reaching new heights.

EU Confidential host Sarah Wheaton unpacks the Commission confirmation hearings with some of POLITICO’s top policy journalists: Senior Reporter for Iberian Affairs Aitor Hernández-Morales; Senior Defense and Space Reporter Josh Posaner; Playbook co-author Eddy Wax; and Tech and Competition Editor Aoife White.

The panel separates the theatrics from the serious policy discussion, teases out how Europe is gearing up for Donald Trump’s second presidency (and how it is not), flags which of the bloc’s priorities are set to change, and speculates how new alliances in a right-leaning Parliament could reshape the EU. 

And don’t miss the latest episode of our sister podcast, Power Play, coming to you this week from COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Host Anne McElvoy talks with Ali Zaidi, the White House National Climate Advisor, who shares his concerns about what might happen to the Biden administration’s climate legacy under a second Trump presidency. It’s worth a listen, here.

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After Donald Trump’s election victory, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is breaking out the Champagne. Germany’s government, meanwhile, is breaking up.

In this week’s episode of EU Confidential, we look at how Trump Round 2 is already reshaping European power dynamics. POLITICO editor-at-large Nicholas Vinocur dials in from Budapest, where Orbán is hosting European leaders for a strategy session on transatlantic relations. Then, host Sarah Wheaton hosts two high-ranking German MEPs, Parliament Vice President Katarina Barley and Foreign Affairs Committee Chair David McAllister for a debate about how to respond to Trump — and about the future of German politics. 

Finally, as MEPs hold confirmation hearings for the European Commission nominees, the Berlaymont Who’s Who series continues with mini-profiles of Glenn Micallef and  Ekaterina Zaharieva, care of tech reporter Pieter Haeck. 

For more on Trump, and how he’ll transform America’s role in the world, check out the Power Play podcast from POLITICO: Trump returns: The whole world is watching.

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For a fresh view of the U.S. election in its final days — and what it means for Europe — this week’s episode of EU Confidential gets a ground-level take from the campaign trail. POLITICO’s Jakob Hanke Vela, usually based in Brussels, has been dispatched to the U.S. to meet voters and cover the campaign from a European perspective. Francesca Chambers, White House correspondent for USA Today, has been hitting the trail with Kamala Harris after covering the Obama, Trump and Biden presidencies. 

They join host Sarah Wheaton to analyze the closing arguments of Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, as well as to parse what’s quirky about campaigning in America — and what it has in common with other votes around the EU. (We’re all MAGA on migration now.) We also look ahead to potential ripple effects in Europe: Would another Trump White House be more of the same — or would it be Trump unchained?

You can find Jakob’s American dispatches here: https://www.politico.eu/section/dc-decoded/

Further reading:

Kamala Harris is warning Polish Americans not to vote for Donald Trump. Many will, by Emilio Casalicchio

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A vote that was supposed to be a slam dunk in favor of the EU turned into a nail-biter: barely 50 percent of Moldovans backed the country’s accession ambitions in last week’s referendum. Does a massive Russian interference campaign of vote-buying and lies explain the result — or is Brussels’ tepid support for Ukraine’s resistance to Russian aggression also to blame? Ahead of a vote with similar stakes in the Republic of Georgia, EU Confidential host Sarah Wheaton is joined by POLITICO reporters who’ve lived and traveled extensively in the region: Eva Hartog, Gabriel Gavin and, dialing in from Kyiv, Veronika Melkozerova. 

Next, we listen in on a POLITICO Pro Connect session (usually off the record and invitation- only) with our top policy editors unpacking the Commission’s new “Jenga tower” structure. Policy Editor Joanna Roberts discusses which commissioners have actual power — and which just have fancy titles — with Aoife White, Cory Bennett, Jan Cienski and Douglas Busvine. 

The event was part of POLITICO Pro Connect “In Conversation With” series, which you can learn more about here.

Further reading:

Moldova and Georgia ring alarm bells for the EU, by Gabriel Gavin and Eva Hartog

Pro-EU campaign won in Moldova despite ‘unfair fight,’ president says, by Gabriel Gavin

The man who bought a country, by Dato Parulava and Eva Hartog

Ashes of Our Fathers. Inside the Fall of Nagorno-Karabakh, Gabriel Gavin’s book, will be released in January 2025.

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This week’s episode of EU Confidential is a show about nothing.

As in: Brussels’ endless lame-duck inertia. Sure, there’s still lots of yadda yadda yadda, but no real action coming out of the EU institutions despite multiple global crises (leaders at this week’s EU summit discussed migration, sure, but left Brussels having taken no concrete decisions on how to tackle it).

Host Sarah Wheaton dissects the reasons for the hold-up — and why it matters — with POLITICO’s Barbara Moens and Nick Vinocur, as well as with Aaron McLoughlin, a seasoned Brussels lobbyist with deep experience working in the Parliament and the Commission. 

Meanwhile, there’s lots happening in the U.S. ahead of the Nov. 5 presidential election. Earlier this week, POLITICO Live and the American Chamber of Commerce to the European Union hosted a debate about what candidates Kamala Harris or Donald Trump could mean for Europe. Facing off: former Republican Congressman Jack Kingston; Finnish MEP Aura Salla; and Bart M.J. Szewczyk, a former State Department official and Biden-Harris campaign insider. We bring you a juicy recap.

Finally, our Berlaymont Who’s Who series looks at the unusual political trajectory of Belgium’s commissioner-designate, Hadja Lahbib, and her dual responsibility for crisis management and equality.

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Buckle up. This week on the EU Confidential podcast, we’re talking cars. And a looming trade war.

European Union countries are split over whether it’s a good idea to take on Beijing and use duties to hit the brakes on China’s booming (and heavily subsidized) electric car industry. At the same time, the EU is trying to shift to greener cars. Seems contradictory? It is. Abigaël Vasselier of the Mercator Institute for China Studies joins POLITICO’s Koen Verhelst and Jordyn Dahl to sort it all out, with host Sarah Wheaton. 

Next, POLITICO’s Max Griera brings us inside the dramatic confrontation at the European Parliament with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, along with highlights from his interview with Orbán’s upstart new challenger, Péter Magyar. 

Further reading:

China’s hit at EU brandy sparks fear of all-out trade war, by Camille Gijs, Koen Verhelst and Judith Chetrit

EU countries overcome German resistance to back duties on Chinese EVs – POLITICO, by Koen Verhelst and Hans von der Burchard

A trip across Europe in an electric car, one charge at a time, by Jordyn Dahl

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In this week’s episode of EU Confidential, we tackle the complex forces shaping Europe’s future — where political shifts, migration and escalating conflict in neighboring regions are all colliding. As tensions in the Middle East intensify, POLITICO's Opinion Editor Jamie Dettmer reports from Tel Aviv, breaking down the situation on the ground and the prospect of an all-out war in the region.

We then shift focus to Austria, where the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) secured a significant election victory on a “Fortress Austria” platform. Host Sarah Wheaton and Theresa Kuhn, professor of modern European history and politics at the University of Amsterdam, discuss what drove voters to the FPÖ and how Austria joins a growing bloc of European Union countries where far-right parties are reshaping the political landscape. What could this mean for Europe’s broader approach to migration?

The episode also continues our "Berlaymont Who’s Who" miniseries, with Kathryn Carlson, our financial regulation reporter, introducing Magnus Brunner, Austria's former finance minister, who could soon become the EU’s next commissioner for migration.

Plus, our NATO correspondent Stuart Lau sits down for an exclusive interview with former NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.

Further reading:

Israel sends troops into Lebanon — but its real target is Iran, by Jamie Dettmer

Israel risks a long fight in Lebanon, by Jamie Dettmer

Israel vows ‘consequences’ for Iran after missile barrage, by Jamie Dettmer

NATO’s Stoltenberg has parting words for Europe: Don’t fear Trump, work with him, by Stuart Lau

Sorry, Mark Rutte, there’ll be no honeymoon at NATO, by Stuart Lau

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Volodymyr Zelensky has just four months. That’s the time left until U.S. President Joe Biden leaves office. After that, who knows what’s going to happen. And that means uncomfortable questions for the EU, too. 

This week’s edition of EU Confidential tracks the Ukrainian president’s recent journey to the U.S. We start off in Kyiv, where POLITICO’s Veronika Melkozerova recounts meeting  Zelensky as he gave reporters a sneak peek of his “Victory Plan.” (Security is tight — even lipstick needs a close check.)

Then we unpack his lobbying mission to the White House and the U.N. General Assembly. Jan Cienski, POLITICO senior policy editor; Dave Brown, defense editor at POLITICO US; and Olga Oliker, program director for Europe and Central Asia at International Crisis Group join host Sarah Wheaton to discuss the political and strategic debates playing out in the U.S. and the EU.

We also listen in on Suzanne Lynch’s interview with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. For more, subscribe to POLITICO’s Global Playbook newsletter. 

Next, we continue our Berylamont Who’s Who series with mini-profiles of commissioners-designate Raffaele Fitto (Meloni’s man in Brussels) and current EVP Maroš Šefčovič (the EU’s Mr. Fix-it).

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Live from Strasbourg… and Paris… and Berlin… and London, it’s EU Confidential. In this week’s episode, we catch you up on a dizzying week of news. We start with the inside dish on Thierry Breton’s high-drama departure from the European Commission, followed by analysis of who’s really in charge now that Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has debuted her new team, with POLITICO’s Marion Solletty and Eddy Wax. Host Sarah Wheaton also sits down with current (and likely future) climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra, and we debut our new series of mini-profiles, Berlaymont Who’s Who, with an introduction to Kaja Kallas, the EU’s next foreign policy chief.

And that’s not all: Migration is roiling domestic politics around the bloc. POLITICO’s Hans von der Burchard and Rosa Prince talk about how the left-leaning leaders of Germany and the U.K. are taking cues from the far-right on keeping migrants out.

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While Brussels has been obsessed recently with the “Draghi report,” that’s NOT the topic of this week’s episode. We will, however, discuss WHY Brussels is so besotted. (Spoiler alert: It's because Europe’s economy is broken.)

Host Sarah Wheaton talks to POLITICO’s Carlo Martuscelli and Carsten Brzeski, global head of macro at ING Think, about why the EU is falling so far behind big competitors like the U.S. and China; as well as about the political factors that got us here — and are keeping us stuck. 

We also check in with POLITICO’s chief EU correspondent, Barbara Moens, about the bottlenecks impeding the new Commission leadership; and with senior correspondent Clea Caulcutt in Paris about French Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s biggest challenge since Brexit.

Further readings:

Mario Draghi’s plan to fix a broken Europe already looks impossible, by Carlo Martuscelli

Europe’s new normal: High energy bills, fading industry and one chance to fix it, by Carlo Martuscelli and Victor Jack

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It’s been a particularly chaotic rentrée for Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. In this week’s episode of EU Confidential, we talk about the mad dash to name the new slate of commissioners, while getting the right balance of politics, geography, gender and expertise. Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by POLITICO’s Chief EU Correspondent Barbara Moens and Policy Editor Joanna Roberts to look at the hot button issues on the agenda and consider how European voters’ call for a rightward shift in June could be reflected in policy — or not. 

Also, from the Berlin bureau, Nette Nöstlinger shares the top takeaways from Alternative for Germany’s historic victory in regional elections. And Tech Reporter Pieter Haeck looks at the trend of banning smartphones in the classroom and what Brussels can do to boost kids’ mental health.

Further readings:

5 takeaways from Germany’s eastern elections, by Nette Nöstlinger

Belgian schools launch crackdown on smartphones, by Pieter Haeck

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In this episode of EU Confidential, we speak to Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Anne Applebaum. Her latest book, "Autocracy Inc.," explores how authoritarian regimes are banding together against democracies, including EU countries.

But first, we look ahead to local elections in three eastern German states, where extreme parties on both the right and the left are poised to make historic gains as migration dominates the headlines. 

Host Sarah Wheaton and POLITICO’s Berlin news editor, James Angelos, dive into Germany’s “left conservatism” standard-bearer Sahra Wagenknecht and how her party is reshaping the political landscape, alongside surging support for the far-right Alternative for Germany.

Further reading:

Is Germany’s rising superstar so far left she’s far right?, by James Angelos

Migration smashes into German elections after deadly knife attack, by Nette Nöstlinger

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In this episode, host Sarah Wheaton is joined by Alessandro Ford, POLITICO’s agriculture reporter, to unpack how the prospect of lab-grown meat has riled up Europe’s farmers — threatening to upend the EU’s agriculture policy and lucrative subsidy program. Read Alessandro’s full story here.

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While the podcast takes a little break, we bring this insightful episode back into your feed — unpacking details of who votes for the far right in Europe. We unpack what drives voters to abandon the mainstream and more traditional party loyalties for the far right, and how poverty, or fear of it, motivates typical supporters of the AfD in Germany, Geert Wilders’ PVV in the Netherlands, or Chega in Portugal.

Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by POLITICO reporters Hanne Cokelaere, James Angelos and Aitor Hernández-Morales, who were recently dispatched to countries where far-right parties are gaining ground ahead of the recent European election.

Later on we have a fascinating conversation with Catherine de Vries, professor of political science and dean of international affairs at Bocconi University in Milan. Her research focuses on how economic hardship and problems with public services such as schools, health care or transport can fuel the far right.

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On our summer break, we're bringing this episode from January back into your feed by popular demand, looking at a crisis that is affecting many Europeans in most EU countries: skyrocketing rents and house prices, a shortage of flats, long waiting lists for social or affordable housing — commonplace problems from Greece to Luxembourg to Portugal. 

Host Sarah Wheaton talks to POLITICO’s Aitor Hernández-Morales and Sorcha Edwards, secretary general of Housing Europe, about the causes of the crisis, its impact across the bloc (including far-right parties using it as an election platform), and solutions at the EU level. Are there any, given that housing is not an EU competence?

Then we hear from Dutch Green MEP Kim Van Sparrentak about housing challenges in her native Netherlands and her efforts to get the European Parliament and the Commission to get more involved in tackling the crisis. And Sarah speaks to Ans Persoons, secretary of state for the Brussels-Capital Region, who explains how the EU’s defacto capital is struggling to keep up with affordable housing demands.

And as mentioned in the show, here’s where you can read the article written by our guest Aitor Hernández-Morales, together with colleagues Jacopo Barigazzi, Barbara Moens and Giovanna Coi: How do you stop the rise of the far right? Build houses.

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Brussels might seem empty, but high-stakes games are afoot behind the scenes. From air-conditioned government suites (and the occasional vacation villa), leaders are working the phones, trying to convince European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to give their country the most prestigious posts in the EU executive.

In this week’s edition of EU Confidential podcast, host Sarah Wheaton is joined by Barbara Moens, POLITICO’s chief EU correspondent, to talk about how this complex political puzzle might be solved.

Next, we head to Paris, where senior correspondent Clea Caulcutt breaks down how the Olympics are affecting France’s chaotic politics — and the inside dish about why France’s rightwing was so angry about the edgy opening ceremony.

If you want more on von der Leyen's ways of operating, listen to the latest episode of our sister podcast "Power Play," hosted by Anne McElvoy: "Queen of Europe: The surprising side to Ursula von der Leyen"

Programming note: EU Confidential is on a break for the next two weeks, but we'll be bringing you some of our favorite episodes in your feed to get you through the summer lull. 

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Is American politics giving you whiplash? This week’s episode of EU Confidential has all you need to cope, with primers on the foreign policy postures of Vice President Kamala Harris and JD Vance.

Dialling in from Washington, POLITICO National Security Reporter Eric Bazail-Eimil helps us understand who Harris will lean on when it comes to Europe, while Global Playbook author Suzanne Lynch recounts her interview with Vance on U.S. support for Ukraine. 

Next, a literal trigger warning: We take you inside a training camp in Germany where Ukrainian soldiers are learning how to build trenches and raid buildings for urban warfare. With mysterious drones flying overhead and gunfire ringing in their ears, Senior Defense Reporter Josh Posaner joins Executive Producer for Audio Cristina Gonzalez for an immersive audio tour of this undisclosed location. 

Further readings:

‘Invisible’ Kamala Harris struggles to win over Europe, by Suzanne Lynch and Ben Munster

Trump’s VP pick spells ‘disaster’ for Europe and Ukraine, by Suzanne Lynch

What a Kamala Harris foreign policy could look like, by Eric Bazail-Eimil, Joe Gould, Miles J. Herszenhorn and Phelim Kine

Mysterious drones keep watch as Ukrainians train in Germany, by Joshua Posaner and Cristina Gonzalez

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Big decisions awaited the new class of MEPs this week: Whether to back Ursula von der Leyen for a second term atop the Commission; which committee assignments to pursue; and, most urgently, which Parliament bar to visit to get away from it all.

Join host Sarah Wheaton for a romp through the Strasbourg seat of the European Parliament, and relive a week that was so crucial for Europe's direction over the next five years.

Sarah is joined by POLITICO's Eddy Wax, who takes us behind the scenes of all the horse-trading and political maneuvers during the week, in which the parliament's key leadership positions were decided and the legislature's support for von der Leyen was confirmed.

She also speaks to several MEPs including Hannah Neumann, a Green MEP from Germany who was reelected, and outgoing MEP Jan Zahradil — the long-serving (and sometimes controversial) Czech MEP, who reflects on his 20+ years in the Parliament and describes what has changed for Euroskeptic politicians in the hemicycle.

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Just days into his country's rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orbán again stunned other European leaders by setting off on a series of visits to Kyiv, Moscow and Beijing, styling himself as a peace negotiator with a mandate from Brussels.

Host Sarah Wheaton and POLITICO's chief EU correspondent Barbara Moens discuss Orbán's rough-and-tumble diplomacy tour and reactions it has provoked among the bloc's politicians and diplomats. But beyond angry tweets and statements clarifying that Orbán represents only his own country and not the bloc as a whole, are there other, more effective ways to rein in a leader whom is viewed as out of line?

Then we zoom in on Washington, where NATO leaders have gathered for their annual summit to celebrate the alliance's 75th anniversary and pledge continued support for Ukraine. Joining us from Washington is Stuart Lau, POLITICO's NATO correspondent.

Finally, we have a conversation with José Manuel Barroso, who previously led the European Commission for 10 years. He reflects on the results of the European elections and offers advice to Ursula von der Leyen and other European leaders on what can be done to boost people's support for EU integration.

Further reading and listening:

French election shocker: reaction and analysis, by Nicholas Vinocur, Marion Solletty and our Paris team

EU fumes at rogue Orbán, but struggles to rein him in, by Barbara Moens

Orbán parrots Putin’s lines on Ukraine in leaked letter to EU chief, by Csongor Körömi and Barbara Moens

Divided, reshuffled and politically bruised: Europe’s leaders head to the NATO summit by Stuart Lau and Laura Kayali

NATO backs Ukraine’s ‘irreversible path’, names China a ‘decisive enabler’ in Russia’s war, by Stuart Lau

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France has voted and the results are in — our POLITICO team in Paris discusses the surprising results of the final round of the parliamentary election in this special episode of EU Confidential.

Host Nicholas Vinocur is first joined by POLITICO's Victor Goury-Laffont to break down the results and explain how President Emmanuel Macron’s centrists and the left-wing alliance mobilized to stymie Marine Le Pen’s far right National Rally.

POLITICO's executive editor in France, Marion Solletty, joins the podcast to discuss where France goes from here.

We also hear from POLITICO's Giorgio Leali, calling in from the National Rally's election event, and Nicolas Camut, checking in from one of the left-wing alliance’s parties, France Unbowed.

We hope you enjoy this special episode of EU Confidential from Paris. We'll be back in your feeds on Friday, as usual.

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Just days before the final round of France's snap parliamentary elections, we discuss possible scenarios for what could emerge from the messy political situation in Paris: shiny new leaders, a shaky new government, rocky cohabitation — or even more chaos.

Host Sarah Wheaton talks to POLITICO's senior correspondent in Paris, Clea Caulcutt.

Later she's joined by former U.S. Ambassador to the EU Anthony Gardner and the director of the German Marshall Fund's Berlin office, Sudha David-Wilp. They break down the reactions of European leaders to President Joe Biden's poor performance in last week's debate with challenger Donald Trump, their doubts over Biden's prospects in November's election, and how Europe is approaching the possibility of Trump 2.0.

Finally, to mark the start of Hungary's presidency of the Council of the EU, we have a dispatch from POLITICO reporter Eddy Wax, who sailed down the Danube recently on a trip to Budapest.

If you're hungry for more election coverage, please tune in to POLITICO's Power Play, Westminster Insider and Politics at Jack and Sam's. This week they'll all be tackling the July 4 general election in the U.K.

Programming alert! A special episode with news and analysis on the results of the second round of the French elections will be delivered to your feed on Monday morning. Don't miss it!

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Straight from the European Council summit, we bring you the latest news and analysis on a range of tough issues on the leaders' agenda.

Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by POLITICO colleagues Barbara Moens and Aitor Hernández-Morales to discuss how EU leaders agreed on who they want to lead the top EU institutions over the next five years.

With Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a special guest at the summit, EU leaders also talked about Ukraine — following the official opening of accession talks between Brussels and Kyiv earlier this week.

Finally, we speak to Clea Caulcutt, our senior correspondent in Paris. She unpacks the prospects of Sunday's first round of snap parliamentary elections.

Further reading:

EU leaders arrive to discuss top jobs at high-stakes meeting — live updates by POLITICO

Giorgia Meloni hits out at EU top jobs backroom deal by Barbara Moens, Hannah Roberts and Giorgio Leali

Far right seizes France’s conservative heartlands by Clea Caulcutt

French election: Your guide to a vote that is set to shake the EU and NATO by Clea Caulcutt

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Almost two weeks after the EU election, there is still a lot of political manoeuvring going on — both in Brussels and in national capitals.

First, POLITICO's chief EU correspondent, Barbara Moens, recaps of the race for the top jobs after European leaders failed to reach a deal at their informal dinner in Brussels earlier this week.

Then, we zoom in on the countries and leaders who until recently were calling the shots, but now seem weakened — and those who are trying to seize the new zeitgeist and claim more power than they've had in the past. 

Host Sarah Wheaton and POLITICO's chief Europe correspondent in Berlin, Matthew Karnitschnig, discuss the precarious situation in which German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the parties in his governing coalition find themselves as a result of the EU vote.

Later, we move to Poland and take a look at Donald Tusk and his increasingly dominant position among European leaders. Sarah is joined by Andrzej Bobiński, journalist and managing director of Polityka Insight in Warsaw, and Jan Cienski, POLITICO's senior political editor.

And finally, Hungary's newly-unveiled slogan for its upcoming presidency of the Council of the EU may be "Make Europe Great Again," but we here at EU Confidential are all about MAGA: Making Audio Great Again. So do keep sending your ideas and comments to [email protected].

Further reading:

EU leaders fail to agree on von der Leyen’s second term , by Barbara Moens, Jacopo Barigazzi and Stuart Lau

Time runs out for Olaf Scholz, by Matthew Karnitschnig

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As the EU comes to terms with its new (sort of) political reality following last weekend's European Parliament election, France is already back in campaign mode — preparing for snap elections called unexpectedly by President Emmanuel Macron.

The French president dissolved the National Assembly in response to the massive success of the far-right National Rally in the European election (and the poor showing of his own Renaissance party).

Host Sarah Wheaton and her colleagues discuss Macron's shock decision and whether his gamble can pay off. She's joined by senior Paris correspondent Clea Caulcutt, politics reporter Victor Goury-Laffont, and POLITICO's editor-at-large Nick Vinocur. The team also looks at how the political earthquake in Paris is reverberating in Brussels and whether it will affect the ongoing race for the EU's top jobs.

Further readings:

Is Macron too toxic to win? by Clea Caulcutt, Victor Goury-Laffont, Sarah Paillou and Pauline de Saint Remy

3 ways Macron’s election punt could go wrong by Victor Goury-Laffont

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As election result projections were revealed on Sunday evening, our EU Confidential team recorded a live episode with first reactions and analysis from our POLITICO newsroom.

Host Sarah Wheaton and the team looked beyond the numbers and analyzed the direction the EU might take as a consequence of the vote. We also discussed French President Emmanuel Macron's shock decision to dissolve the parliament after the far-right National Rally won the popular vote.

Our guests were POLITICO editor-in-chief Jamil Anderlini, data reporter and election expert Hanne Cokelaere, cybersecurity editor Laurens Cerulus, senior EU correspondent Barbara Moens and politics reporter Eddy Wax.

You can also watch our Election Night Live event here.

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As voting gets underway throughout the EU, we check in on the polls and learn which stories are dominating the headlines in capitals around Europe.

Host Sarah Wheaton discusses the latest polling numbers with our data reporter Hanne Cokelaere. Be sure to check out POLITICO's Poll of Polls for the latest insights.

We also hear from colleagues around Europe who explain which stories are uppermost in voters' minds as they head to the ballot box.

Aitor Hernández-Morales gives us a snapshot from Spain, where the vote is seen as a referendum on the government, and where a surprise diplomatic spat between Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Argentina's President Javier Milei could sway some voters.

Charlie Duxbury in Sweden explains how a focus on migration is working for the far-right Sweden Democrats.

Clea Caulcutt in France says it's all about President Emmanuel Macron and far-right National Rally leader Jordan Bardella.

And Hans von der Burchard tells us how the war in Ukraine is polarizing Germany's governing coalition, and predicts how big a factor the recent killing of a German police officer could be for rival parties.

Further reading:

All politics is local: What the EU election is actually about in each country, by POLITICO

Putin’s a bigger deal than EU election in Europe’s frontline states, by Charlie Duxbury and Bartosz Brzeziński

Programming alert! We'll be doing a special video livestream taping of EU Confidential on Sunday from 8:30-9:15 p.m. Sign up to watch us on election night as the preliminary results are released, and then check your EU Confidential podcast feed on Monday morning for highlights of our election night analysis.

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With just a week to go until the European election and the campaign in full gear, we're focusing on how the vote will impact key EU policies such as health, energy, climate, technology and defense.

Will they be affected by the shake-up of the bloc's political landscape and the arrival of new MEPs and commissioners — or will continuity with the policy priorities of the last five years prevail? And what about the money to finance new and super costly defense ambitions and the green transition? Will the predicted surge of the far right affect these dynamics?

To answer these questions, we bring you a special episode. It's a conversation that took place recently at an exclusive, invitation-only POLITICO event organized for our Pro Connect subscribers — usually under Chatham House rules. It's moderated by POLITICO's policy editor Joanna Roberts, and her guests were: POLITICO's technology and competition editor Aoife White, energy and climate editor Cory Bennett, health editor Helen Collis and Jan Cienski, our senior policy editor and an expert on mobility and defense.

The event was part of our POLITICO Pro Connect "In Conversation with" series, which you can learn more about here.

Finally, we'll be recording a special livestream edition of EU Confidential on Sunday, June 9 starting at 8:30 p.m. as the EU election results roll in. Register here to watch live!

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This is your essential (and entertaining!) guide to the upcoming European election — everything you've wanted to know but been too afraid to ask.

With the crucial vote just two weeks away, we reached out to you, our European and American listeners, on social media and collected the most pressing election-related questions. Both veterans of the Brussels bubble and political novices seem to be wondering about everything from: can you vote online to does it even matter?

Host Sarah Wheaton and her panel of POLITICO's election experts delve into the nitty-gritty of voting and what happens next. Sarah's joined by politics reporter Eddy Wax, chief EU correspondent Barbara Moens and cybersecurity editor Laurens Cerulus.

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Ursula von der Leyen made a promise this week: if she secures another term as president of the European Commission, she will prioritize beefing up the EU's defenses against malicious disinformation from Moscow.

It's a top-of-agenda issue for many in Brussels and across the bloc, with less than a month until the European election and hostile actors using sophisticated tools such as generative AI.

In this episode, host Sarah Wheaton and her guests unpack some of the latest examples of interference from the Kremlin, such as sharing AI-generated deepfake videos of politicians or cloning the voices of public figures to impersonate them. Sarah is joined by Mark Scott, POLITICO's chief technology correspondent, and Jakub Kalensky, deputy director of the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats in Helsinki. They also discuss what's behind Europe's modest successes in countering Russian disinformation campaigns.

Further reading:

Moldova fights to free itself from Russia’s AI-powered disinformation machine by Mark Scott

Deepfakes, distrust and disinformation: Welcome to the AI election by Mark Scott

Spot the deepfake: The AI tools undermining our own eyes and ears by Mark Scott

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As recent national elections in several European countries have shown, far-right voters no longer fit the stereotype of the angry, old white man, but now often include women, young people and even migrants.

In this episode we unpack what drives voters to abandon the mainstream and more traditional party loyalties for the far right, and how poverty, or fear of it, motivates typical supporters of the AfD in Germany, Geert Wilder's PVV in the Netherlands, or Chega in Portugal.

Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by POLITICO reporters Hanne Cokelaere, James Angelos and Aitor Hernandez-Morales, who were recently dispatched to countries where far-right parties are gaining ground ahead of June's European election.

Later on we have a fascinating conversation with Catherine de Vries, professor of political science and dean of international affairs at Bocconi University in Milan. Her research focuses on how economic hardship and problems with public services such as schools, health care or transport can fuel the far right.

Further reading:

Germany’s far-right believers blame spy claims on ‘witch hunt’ by James Angelos

Portugal’s far-right vaccine stops working in the Algarve by Victor Jack

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It was a rare chance to see all the leading candidates from Europe's main political parties go head-to-head in a presidential-style debate to become the next head of the European Commission.

With just over a month to go until the European Parliament election, eight politicians met in the Dutch city of Maastricht and spent an hour and a half answering questions on key issues such as climate change, defense and European democracy.

If you missed it, don't worry — we've picked out the key moments and some of the more heated exchanges. Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by colleagues POLITICO's editor at large Nicholas Vinocur and Barbara Moens, chief EU correspondent and co-moderator of the debate. They give us their take on who won, who lost, and how it all went down. Did anyone manage to impress a room full of university students and over a quarter of a million people watching the debate online?

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Since the 2019 election this European Parliament has had to deal with various challenges, from Brexit and Covid-19 to the war in Ukraine and scandals such as Qatargate. At the same time it has managed to legislate on key issues such as climate change, AI and migration.

In this episode we look back at the highs and lows of the EU legislature's last five years.

Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by a roundtable of POLITICO colleagues: data reporter Hanne Cokelaere; sustainability reporter Louise Guillot; editor at large Nicholas Vinocur; policy editor Joanna Roberts; and European Parliament correspondent Eddy Wax. They share their experiences from covering the Parliament and weigh in on which of the bloc's 705 MEPs deserve POLITICO's 2024 unAWARDs.  

Further reading:

"The MEP unAwards 2024," by Politico staff

"MEPs to watch in the next EU Parliament (if they get elected)," by Politico staff

"The European Parliament by the numbers," by Hanne Cokelaere

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In this episode we unpack the EU's new buzzword and the main point of discussion at this week's European Council summit: competitiveness. We also bring you another new buzzword from Brussels this week: Bolshewokism.

Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by POLITICO's chief Brussels correspondent, Barbara Moens, to recap the leaders' summit and their attempt to make the bloc's economy more competitive with regards China and the United States. We also discuss former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta's newly released report on how to overhaul the EU's single market, and we hear from Letta himself, in conversation with POLITICO's own Giovanna Faggionato.

Later, we have a fascinating discussion with Atlantic Council senior fellow and author Elisabeth Braw about her new book "Goodbye Globalization: The Return of a Divided World."

And we end our episode explaining how the word "Bolshewokism" came to describe a National Conservatism Conference, featuring Nigel Farage and Viktor Orbán, which was upended by local Brussels mayors.

Further Reading:

"Time for a European single market ‘with teeth’ to take on China, India, leaders told," by Giovanna Faggionato and and Bjarke Smith-Meyer

"A new inconvenient truth: Europe’s global plans all require money no one has," by By Karl Mathiesen, Barbara Moens, Giovanna Faggionato and Giorgio Leali

"Europe’s hard-right bags big win after ‘own goal’ by Brussels mayors," by Eddy Wax

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With just weeks to go until the European Parliament election, we're bringing you the state of play.

Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by Elisa Braun, POLITICO's Brussels correspondent, and Nicholas Vinocur, POLITICO's editor at large, to discuss the many political challenges facing EPP lead candidate Ursula von der Leyen: "Pfizergate," "Piepergate" and the internal rebellion by a group of fellow commissioners.

Later, a panel of keen election watchers — Eddy Wax, who covers the European Parliament for POLITICO, technology reporter Clothilde Goujard and Matteo Albania, communications director at Must Consulting — gives us an update on the new rules for online campaigning (aimed at fighting disinformation and AI-generated deepfakes) and takes stock of the campaign so far.

Further reading:

EU political parties promise to steer clear of deepfakes ahead of election by Clothilde Goujard

Europe wields new tech law to protect EU election by Clothilde Goujard

Macron ‘loved’ me sniping at von der Leyen, says French commissioner by Elisa Braun and Eddy Wax

Von der Leyen struggles to quell revolt over controversial business envoy pick by Giovanna Faggionato, Nicholas Vinocur and Julia Wacket 

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In this episode, we unpack the growing urgency among EU leaders to defeat Russia's Vladimir Putin. Remember the old Latin saying: si vis pacem, para bellum (if you want peace, prepare for war)? We discuss what that might mean today.

We also explain what's at stake in presidential runoff elections in Slovakia and round out our episode exploring why chocolate prices in Europe are skyrocketing and what "greedflation" has to do with it.

Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by Barbara Moens, POLITICO's chief EU correspondent, Milan Nič, senior fellow for Central and Eastern Europe at the German Council on Foreign Relations and Alessandro Ford, agriculture reporter at POLITICO.

Have a great spring break! We will be back in your feed on April 12.

Further reading:

"‘Broadening’ consensus on need to defeat Putin among EU leaders, says Lithuanian president," by Jacopo Barigazzi and Barbara Moens

"Slovak president election: Pro-EU diplomat tops coalition stalwart in first round," by Tom Nicholson

"Slovakia, the EU’s next rule of law headache," by Ketrin Jochecová and Nicolas Camut

"Big Chocolate is conning you this Easter," by Alessandro Ford

And finally ...

Have your say on Europe’s future at the third edition of the Maastricht Debate. On April 29 at 7 p.m. CET, Studio Europa Maastricht and POLITICO are organizing the debate that will put the candidates in line to lead Europe onstage and in front of the issues that matter to European youth. 

Find out more and register to watch the 2024 Maastricht Debate by clicking here.

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As EU leaders received a stark warning about the climate risks facing the bloc, the European Commission caved to farmer protests and demands to slash environmental requirements.

Host Sarah Wheaton talks to POLITICO's climate policy reporter Zia Weise about the recent report on climate risks facing the bloc, the first of its kind from the European Environment Agency. We dive into the sobering findings and the reactions.

And then Sarah hosts a conversation with POLITICO's senior climate correspondent Karl Mathiesen and Tom Brookes — the head of the Meloire Foundation and one of Brussels' top green lobbyists. Tom reveals new polling on how European citizens view climate issues heading into the European election in June — and they debate the politics of climate blowback.

Additional reading ...

"5 things we learned from the EU’s big (and first) climate risk report" by Zia Weise

"EU takes the ax to green farming rules" by Bartosz Brzeziński

"Bears, cars and angry farmers fuel green backlash" by Karl Mathiesen

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Portugal's snap election has brought seismic change — the Socialists are now in opposition and the center-right Democratic Alliance, which narrowly won the vote, will try to form a minority government. But the biggest shock came when the far-right, ultra-nationalist, anti-immigrant Chega won more than a million votes and became the third-largest party in parliament.

In this episode of EU Confidential, host Sarah Wheaton is joined by POLITICO’s Aitor Hernández-Morales, Barbara Moens and Nicholas Vinocur to break down the results of the vote and discuss what the far-right surge in Portugal could mean for the future of the EU — with the European elections on the horizon and the race for top jobs underway.

Later, POLITICO's Stuart Lau interviews Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson after his country officially joined NATO.

Further readings:

Ursula von der Leyen’s reelection campaign gets off to a bumpy start – POLITICO

Portugal’s far right comes roaring back – POLITICO

Portugal swings right in knife-edge snap election – POLITICO

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On this bumper edition of EU Confidential, we take you inside the two-day European People Party's Congress in Bucharest.

Host Sarah Wheaton and POLITICO's Eddy Wax reveal what was happening as the center-right EPP sealed the deal on its campaign manifesto and anointed its lead candidate for the European Parliament election: Ursula von der Leyen.

They speak exclusively to delegates and key EPP figures including Roberta Metsola, Manfred Weber, Thanasis Bakolas, Leo Varadkar, Michel Barnier, Petteri Orpo, Mariya Gabriel, Peter Liese, Adina Ioana Vălean, Petri Sarvamaa, Dara Murphy and Lídia Pereira.

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With less than 100 days until the European Parliament election, we bring you the state of play. Also, we hear from Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili about her country's ambitions to join the EU.

Host Sarah Wheaton assembles a panel of astute election watchers to break down the key issues and people shaping the discussions as campaigns get underway for the EU election in June: POLITICO's Parliament reporter Eddy Wax; Francesca Romana D'Antuono, co-president of Volt Europa; and Thomas Thaler, co-lead of APCO's EU election task force. And be sure to subscribe to POLITICO's weekly EU Election Playbook, authored by Eddy.

Then later in the podcast, Berlin Playbook author Gordon Repinski sits down with Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili to discuss her country's EU aspirations, domestic political tensions and persistent threats from neighboring Russia. You can sign up to receive POLITICO's new Berlin Playbook here.

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As we mark two years of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we take stock of how the war has changed Europe's political landscape and identity — as well as life for Ukrainians under siege. Also, we look at Ursula von der Leyen's campaign to remain European Commission chief.

Von der Leyen finally announced her intention this week to officially seek another term at the helm following the European Parliament election in June. Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by POLITICO's Hans von der Burchard about the not-so-surprising announcement and what we can expect from von der Leyen's campaign over the coming months. And as mentioned, Hans is part of POLITICO's new Berlin Playbook team — you can subscribe here.

Then we turn our focus to Ukraine. Executive Producer Cristina Gonzalez sits down with renowned Bulgarian political scientist Ivan Krastev at the recent Munich Security Conference to unpack how the war in Ukraine has fundamentally changed Europe.

And finally, Sarah is joined by our reporter in Kyiv, Veronika Melkozerova, for a poignant personal account of how the war has impacted her and her fellow Ukrainian citizens. You can read Veronika's full story here: "Being Ukrainian in 2024: 'People look at me as if I'm terminally ill'".

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Donald Trump has again sent shockwaves across Europe with comments suggesting that he would encourage Russia to invade NATO countries that do not spend enough on defense.

In this episode, we discuss reactions in European capitals. Host Sarah Wheaton and her colleagues — senior Paris correspondent Clea Caulcutt, chief Europe correspondent Matthew Karnitschnig and Stuart Lau who covers China and NATO — check whether Trump's criticism of NATO could effectively prompt EU leaders to enhance the bloc's defense capabilities. They also zoom into Budapest where an unexpected political scandal toppled two of Viktor Orbán's biggest loyalists.

Later, to mark Valentine's Day, we also talk love. Our guest is Marjorie Libourel, a professional matchmaker based in Brussels. She discusses the challenges of dating and relationships in the Bubble, as well as making connections in an era of political polarization and changing gender roles.

Further reading:

"Brussels power couples 2024" by Sarah Wheaton and Eddy Wax

"Donald Trump just did Europe a favor" by Matthew Karnitschnig

"Hungary President Novak quits under pressure over sex-abuse pardon case" by Aitor Hernández-Morales and Stuart Lau

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Europe is waking up to the urgent need to strengthen its own defenses — especially as Donald Trump seems poised to capture the Republican nomination and possibly even the White House in November presidential elections.

In this episode, host Sarah Wheaton is joined by Florence Gaub, director of research at the NATO Defence College in Rome and a futurist, along with Ivo Daalder, former U.S. ambassador to NATO and president of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs (and a fellow podcaster: World Review with Ivo Daalder). They discuss the "Europeanization of NATO" and other tools that Europe has (or lacks) to support Ukraine and defend itself — with or without Washington.

Later, some of POLITICO's in-house defense experts, Laura Kayali and Jan Cienski, discuss the brass-tacks realities of whether Europe can fend off a Russian attack on its own, and outline where it remains most vulnerable.

Further reading:

"Europe’s Trump challenge: Is it ready to fight Vladimir Putin alone?" by Laura Kayali

"What another Trump presidency would mean for NATO" by Ivo Daalder

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As farmer protests continue around Europe, we unpack their various concerns and analyze their impact on the European election. We also take you to an extraordinary meeting of EU leaders in Brussels where crucial cash for Ukraine hung in the balance.

Host Sarah Wheaton speaks to POLITICO's Parliament reporter Eddy Wax among the thousands of tractors and angry farmers in the heart of Brussels. Later in the episode, our in-house experts explain what's behind the farmers' uprising and what impact the protests could have on the EU's ambitious green agenda and the upcoming EU election. We're joined by Clea Caulcutt in Paris, Matthew Karnitschnig in Berlin, senior climate correspondent Karl Mathiesen, and agriculture reporter Bartosz Brzezinski. And we hear from a protesting farmer in France, who spoke to our colleague Victor Goury-Laffont about his top concerns.

Also in the episode, we head across town to an extraordinary meeting of EU leaders. POLITICO's chief Brussels correspondent Barbara Moens and senior diplomatic correspondent Jacopo Barigazzi explain the successful outcome after weeks of intense negotiations on financial aid for Ukraine.

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In this episode we look at a crisis that is affecting many Europeans in most EU countries: skyrocketing rents and house prices, a shortage of flats, long waiting lists for social or affordable housing — commonplace problems from Greece to Luxembourg to Portugal. 

Host Sarah Wheaton talks to POLITICO's Aitor Hernández-Morales and Sorcha Edwards, secretary general of Housing Europe, about the causes of the crisis, its impact across the bloc (including far-right parties using it as an election platform), and solutions at the EU level. Are there any, given that housing is not an EU competence?

Then we hear from Dutch Green MEP Kim Van Sparrentak about housing challenges in her native Netherlands and her efforts to get the European Parliament and the Commission to get more involved in tackling the crisis. And Sarah speaks to Ans Persoons, secretary of state for the Brussels-Capital Region, who explains how the EU's defacto capital is struggling to keep up with affordable housing demands.

And as mentioned in the show, here's where you can read the article written by our guest Aitor Hernández-Morales, together with colleagues Jacopo Barigazzi, Barbara Moens and Giovanna Coi: How do you stop the rise of the far right? Build houses.

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After seven years of bitter wrangling, the EU has finally reached an agreement on how to handle migration — one of its most challenging and divisive issues.

In this episode of EU Confidential we look at what's in the deal, which has been hailed as a success by Brussels but criticized by NGOs and human rights groups.

Host Sarah Wheaton and Jacopo Barigazzi, POLITICO's senior diplomatic correspondent, talk to Catherine Woolard — director of the European Council on Refugees and Exiles — about the details of the new agreement and how effective it might be.

Later our guest is Professor Florian Trauner, an expert on migration at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. He explains how migration has become the central issue ahead of the European election in June, and how far-right parties are co-opting it for political gain.

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In this episode we look at the ongoing tug-of-war between Budapest and Brussels in the context of a rather shocking development that could pave the way for Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán — who has won a reputation as the bloc's biggest troublemaker — to chair meetings of EU leaders and set the EU agenda.

It follows a surprising decision by European Council President Charles Michel to step down and run for a seat in the European Parliament.

Host Sarah Wheaton and colleagues Barbara Moens and Hans von der Burchard delve into the quibbles and clashes Viktor Orbán has had with Brussels over the years, and how the EU has tried to play ball with the Hungarian leader. And yes — they also report on the infamous "toilet break" Viktor Orbán took at the last EU summit in December, which paved the way for accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova.

Then Sarah and Nick Vinocur, POLITICO's editor-at-large, talk to Professor Alberto Alemanno, an expert on EU law who has taken a hard line on Hungary, and who has even suggested Budapest be stripped of the EU's rotating presidency. 

Finally, we bring you a Hungarian perspective from our guest Frank Füredi, executive director of the Brussels office of Hungary's government-backed MCC think tank.

We also recommend you listen to the latest episode of our sister podcast, Power Play. Host Anne McElvoy talks to Latvian Foreign Minister Krišjānis Kariņš (a contender for the job of NATO's next secretary-general) and gets his reaction to Michel's shocking decision.

Here is the link: Taking on Russia: Krišjānis Kariņš’ pitch to lead NATO and defend Ukraine – POLITICO.

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This isn't just any new year — 2024 in the political calendar means mega elections in Europe, the U.S., the U.K. and beyond. Our EU Confidential crew predicts how these elections could impact pressing issues around the European Union.

Bringing together the collective knowledge of some of POLITICO's best and brightest reporters — Barbara Moens, Clea Caulcutt and Hans von der Burchard — we discuss the June vote that could see 400 million Europeans take part, the top EU jobs up for grabs, the Belgian presidency of the Council of the EU which started on January 1 and the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.

Later, host Sarah Wheaton is joined by POLITICO's senior policy editor and defense expert Jan Cienski to talk about the future of the war in Ukraine, Kyiv's fears over the outcome of the U.S. presidential election, the ongoing conflict in Gaza, as well as Prime Minister Donald Tusk's Herculean tasks after Poland's recent elections. 

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Our last episode of 2023 is a bumper edition, reviewing some of the key stories that drove the conversations in Brussels and throughout Europe this year.

Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by a roundtable of POLITICO's policy editors including Joanna Roberts, Aoife White and Jan Cienski to discuss everything from the AI Act to pharmaceutical rules and the EU's bolstered defense capabilities. Also, Opinion Editor Jamie Dettmer brings us up to speed on Europe's response to the Israel-Hamas war and the war in Ukraine — the EU's unity in the face of fatigue, as well as the debate over Ukraine's future in the bloc.

Finally, we're joined by Senior France Correspondent Clea Caulcutt who reveals POLITICO's most-read story of 2023.

And as mentioned in the show, do be sure to check out our POLITICO Tech podcast, which takes listeners inside the EU’s tense AI negotiations with MEP Dragos Tudorache.

That's it from us for this year — the EU Confidential team will be back in your podcast feed on January 5. See you then!

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In this episode, we revisit the huge corruption scandal which shook the European Parliament and the EU bubble exactly one year ago.

Host Sarah Wheaton talks to POLITICO colleagues Elisa Braun and Eddy Wax, who sifted through a massive trove of leaked police documents and, along with Gian Volpicelli, co-wrote an investigative series called The Qatargate Files. They bring us up to date on the key players, including former European Parliament Vice President Eva Kaili who is out of jail and back in the chamber awaiting trial, talk about new and fascinating angles to this hugely intricate scandal and explain why the investigation is dragging its feet.

Later, we break down a rare political event: the EU-China summit in Beijing. It was the first face-to-face meeting between EU and Chinese leaders in years. We asked Abigaël Vasselier of the Mercator Institute for China Studies in Berlin and POLITICO's Editor-in-Chief Jamil Anderlini to help us understand the purpose and impact of the talks.

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This week, we take you inside our POLITICO 28 unveiling of Europe's most powerful people and unpack Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's comments on the Israel-Hamas war and her plans to run for the top job again. Also, we reveal new tactics used by successful far-right leaders in Europe and explain why Germany's recent budget woes have sent shockwaves through the political system.

Our new host Sarah Wheaton is joined by POLITICO's Clea Caulcutt and Nick Vinocur to break down the POLITICO 28 ranking and von der Leyen's interview at the event this week. Von der Leyen — "the queen" herself — came in second on the "doers" list. Be sure to check out the full 2024 ranking here.

The crew also discuss new and clever tactics being used by European far-right leaders, including Geert Wilders and Marine Le Pen, to capitalize on their hard-line rhetoric, move toward the political center and attract new voters.

And later, our colleague Matt Karnitschnig tries to prove that Germany's budget crisis is a sexy story we should all be interested in. You can read Matt's article here: Germany chokes on its own austerity medicine.

Also: Make sure you subscribe to the new newsletter authored by our outgoing EU Confidential host Suzanne Lynch: POLITICO’s Global Playbook. And while you're at it, you can also sign up for our Sarah Wheaton's weekly newsletter, EU Influence.

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Far-right leader Geert Wilders came out on top in the Dutch election this week, sending shock waves through Brussels and beyond.

In this episode of EU Confidential, host Suzanne Lynch is joined by Eline Schaart and Nicholas Vinocur to break down the results of the vote, and what it potentially means for the EU moving forward.

Later, we have a fascinating discussion with David O'Sullivan, the EU's sanctions envoy. His main job is to make it harder for Russia to evade sanctions imposed by the EU over the war in Ukraine.

We end the episode with an important announcement about the podcast, so do be sure to stick around for that and to sign up for Suzanne's new newsletter she'll be authoring: POLITICO's Global Playbook, your VIP pass to the world’s most influential gatherings.

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Oil, gas and coal still made up 81.5 percent of the global energy mix in 2022 — down just 3 percent from 2015, when the Paris climate agreement was signed. 

Given the slow pace of the energy transition, carbon capture and storage, or CCS, has the potential to become an important technology for achieving net zero. Advocates believe that without CCS — which gathers emissions, processes them and stores them safely underground — we simply won’t meet our climate targets. 

But the technology faces a range of obstacles. Campaign groups believe CCS offers oil and gas companies a free pass to keep extracting and burning fossil fuels. Others worry about the safety of stored carbon dioxide. There are also practical constraints. CCS technology, while proven, is expensive to install, and needs subsidies and financial incentives to encourage the industry to make the short-term capital investment needed.  

In this podcast episode produced by POLITICO Studio, science and technology writer Adam Green interviews leading European experts from industry and policy about the need for CCS, what’s holding it back and where it fits into Europe’s energy transition.  

Ruth Herbert, CEO of Carbon Capture and Storage Association, breaks down the fundamentals of CCS. Chris Davies, a former member of the European Parliament and now director of CCS Europe, talks about the need to educate the public on the safety of onshore CCS. Jan Theulen, of building material producer Heidelberg Materials, explains why industries such as cement, where production itself results in large CO2 emissions, will need CCS most. And Torbjørg Klara Heskestad, vice president for global CCS solutions at Equinor, speaks about shared infrastructure that will help reduce the costs of CCS for carbon emitters.  

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Ending months of political paralysis, we bring you up to speed on the turmoil in Spain that has left Pedro Sánchez clinging to power. The Socialist leader secured another term as Spain's prime minister thanks to a controversial amnesty deal with Catalan separatists, which saw thousands of people take to the streets in protest.

EU Confidential host Suzanne Lynch talks to POLITICO's Aitor Hernández-Morales and Nick Vinocur about the stability of the new coalition in Madrid and its wider impact on EU politics, as well as the implications of Sanchez's victory for next year's European Parliament elections.

Later in the episode, we discuss the EU-Mercosur trade negotiations in an exclusive interview with Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira and POLITICO's trade expert Camille Gijs.

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The EU made important steps this week toward bringing new members into the bloc — our POLITICO team explains in this episode of EU Confidential.

Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by POLITICO's Barbara Moens and Jakob Hanke Vela in Brussels, as well as Sam Greene from the Center for European Policy Analysis in Washington to discuss the European Commission's annual report card on the ten countries hoping to join the 27 EU members. The report recommends the start of formal accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, but what exactly does that mean? And where does that leave others in the Western Balkans, for example, who've been waiting in the wings for years?

Also in this episode, POLITICO's Aitor Hernández-Morales explains what's behind the shock resignation this week of Portugal's Prime Minister António Costa amid a corruption probe.

And finally, POLITICO's Anne McElvoy brings us details of her conversation with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on our Power Play podcast, out this week. The PM has some "hard truths" for Israel, and sheds light on relations with nearby Turkey, as well as his country's approach to migration and climate change; and he addresses rule of law concerns. Listen to the Power Play interview here.

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It has been a big week for the world's key players in the race to regulate AI development and make it safe. In this episode of EU Confidential, we bring you a roundup of where things stand — after the AI Safety Summit, organized by U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak; the publication of the G7 AI code of conduct; and the signing by U.S. President Joe Biden of a long-awaited 100-page executive order on regulating and funding AI.

Host Suzanne Lynch, with some assistance from AI technology, talks to POLITICO's technology gurus Mark Scott and Gian Volpicelli about what's at stake and where the EU stands in this regulatory race. Will we see an agreement on facial recognition technology in the EU, or AI-generated surveillance methods?

Later in the episode, we have a fascinating conversation with Professor Anu Bradford, author of "Digital Empires: The Global Battle to Regulate Technology," which focuses on the ongoing rivalry between the tech superpowers.

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Coming to you directly from the European Council summit, our POLITICO team brings you the very latest on a range of difficult subjects facing EU leaders during their two-day meeting in Brussels.

In a packed press centre, host Suzanne Lynch, along with Jacopo Barigazzi, Barbara Moens, Nicholas Vinocur and Hans von der Burchard unpack the topics on the table, including: the Israel-Hamas war, support for Ukraine, the EU's long term budget, and migration. 

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In this episode, we analyze what Poland's recent election means for its political future and EU relations — in conversation with journalist and historian Anne Applebaum. We also shed light on a troubling terrorist attack this week in Brussels.

With a record turnout of over 74 percent, Polish voters decided they wanted change. They waved goodbye to the ultra-conservative, anti-EU Law and Justice government and handed power to the democratic opposition led by former prime minister and European Council President Donald Tusk.

POLITICO's Jan Cienski and Nick Vinocur join us to discuss the implications of the Polish election for both Poland and the EU, and they bring us up to date on this week's major events in the Middle East and the terrorist attack in Brussels, in which two Swedes were shot dead by a radicalized gunman.

Later, host Suzanne Lynch talks to Anne Applebaum. The American-Polish journalist, commentator and historian explains the challenges facing the future Polish government as it will try to restore the rule of law and depoliticize state institutions after eight years of anti-democratic rule.

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In this episode of EU Confidential, POLITICO's Barbara Moens joins us to discuss the EU’s muddled response to the heinous attack on Israel in which Hamas killed over a thousand civilians and took dozens of people hostage, sparking outrage and disbelief.

Then we turn our focus to Poland. Host Suzanne Lynch brings us up to date on the crucial general election this Sunday and its potential impact on the EU and Poland’s relationship with Brussels. We hear from POLITICO’s Jan Cienski in Warsaw, who reports on the final stages of a bitter and brutal election campaign, and from Polish members of the European Parliament representing opposition parties in Poland – Róża Thun and Radoslaw Sikorski, outspoken critics of the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party. We invited PiS to join the conversation, but they declined.

Also in the episode, our producer Dionis Sturis speaks to pro-opposition demonstrators at a Polish anti-government protest in Brussels. 

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In this episode of the EU Confidential, we entertain the idea of Donald Trump returning to the White House in 2024 and what that would mean: for the EU, for the war in Ukraine and for transatlantic relations.

The U.S. presidential election is more than a year away and Trump has yet to secure the Republican Party’s nomination; he's also facing a mountain of legal hurdles. But it's worth considering whether Europe is preparing or if it would be as shocked as it was in 2016 if Trump won again.   

Host Suzanne Lynch discusses this with POLITICO’s Nick Vinocur and Majda Ruge from the European Council on Foreign Relations. Both our guests have recently written fascinating articles on that very subject:

Majda Ruge: Polarised power: the three Republican “tribes” that could define America’s relationship with the world

Nick Vinocur: Can Europe survive Trump 2.0?

Also in the episode, a riveting account of life in war-torn Ukraine from our guest Matti Maasikas, the former EU ambassador to Kyiv.

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In this episode of EU Confidential, we discuss an alleged bribery scheme to hand out Polish visas, which is rocking the country just weeks before general elections.

Host Suzanne Lynch talks to POLITICO's Jan Cienski about the illegal scheme, which was operating from within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Warsaw, that allowed visas to be sold to thousands of migrants from Asia and Africa.

While the Polish conservative government is trying to minimize the damage, Brussels and Washington are asking for explanations. In the wake of this scandal, Germany has decided to reinstate border checks with Poland to curb migrant crossings. POLITICO’s Hans von der Burchard joins the discussion from Berlin.

Also in the episode, Suzanne speaks to Hans Kundnani, author of "Eurowhiteness: Culture, Empire and Race in the European Project." They continue to discuss migration and European identity more broadly.

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EU Confidential is in New York for the U.N. General Assembly, where leaders from around the globe are gathering to hash out some of the most pressing issues. Those range from the climate catastrophe to reform of the UN itself and Russia's war in Ukraine — it's the most action-packed week on the international diplomatic agenda. 

To make sense of the big stories driving the talks at this year’s UNGA, host Suzanne Lynch is joined by Anne McElvoy – POLITICO’s executive editor and head of audio, who also hosts POLITICO’s brand new "Power Play" podcast. Don’t miss this week's inaugural episode featuring a wide-ranging interview on foreign policy with Keir Starmer, leader of the U.K. Labour Party and possibly the next British prime minister.   

Later in the show, Suzanne talks to Werner Hoyer, who is ending his 12-year term as head of the European Investment Bank. They focus on the EIB's support for green technologies in Europe and beyond, and discuss the future of an institution whose leadership position is up for grabs. Will the outgoing president reveal who he's rooting for?

Finally, we bring you a conversation with European Commission Executive Vice President Maroš Šefčovič, currently serving as the EU's climate chief. He explains how the European Green Deal and its ambitious targets are faring here in New York.

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In this bumper episode, we bring you the main takeaways from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's annual State of the European Union address, as well as reactions from members of the European Parliament. 

The Commission president needed over an hour to highlight her key achievements and lay out plans for the coming months. Host Suzanne Lynch talks to POLITICO’s Chief Policy Correspondent Sarah Wheaton and together they break down the main points highlighted in the speech: the European Green Deal, the EU’s industrial plans, migration, enlargement and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. They also look for hidden messages and potential clues regarding von der Leyen's political future — did she hint she wants a second term as Commission chief? 

Later, our colleague Eddy Wax, who covers the European Parliament for POLITICO, chairs a lively debate about the Commission president’s address with members of the European Parliament: Karen Melchior from Renew Europe, Eva Maydell representing the European People’s Party and Marc Botenga from the Left.  

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It's “back to school” week here in Brussels, so we're looking ahead to what policies will dominate the news in the coming months. Also, our special guest is Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani.

Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by POLITICO’s Sarah Wheaton and Nick Vinocur to discuss big European issues and events to watch out for in coming weeks. And there are many: the State of the Union Address by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the race to get the top job at the European Investment Bank, elections in 2024, migration, and, of course, enlargement of the EU bloc. 

Then, we get the perspective from a leader of one the countries on the path to join the EU – Kosovo. We hear from its president, Vjosa Osmani, who unpacks the challenges Kosovo is facing, including tensions with neighbouring Serbia, enlargement fatigue and inertia on the side of Brussels. 

Finally, we welcome our new Senior Audio Producer Dionisios Sturis, who is joining the EU Confidential team.  

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EU Confidential returns from its summer break, bringing you this episode from the European Forum Alpbach in Austria where the theme of a "bold Europe" has prompted discussions about Europe's internal as well as geopolitical challenges.

Host Suzanne Lynch sits down with Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg to discuss his suggestion that the EU needs to rethink how it expands its membership to countries like Ukraine, Moldova and hopefuls in the Western Balkans — a debate heating up this week, with both French President Emmanuel Macron and European Council President Charles Michel weighing in on the issue.

Then, Suzanne gathers together an all-star panel on the sidelines of the forum to discuss whether Europe's approach to the so-called Global South has been misguided. She's joined by María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, an Ecuadorian diplomat, scientist, politician and former president of the United Nations General Assembly; Arancha González Laya, Spain's former foreign minister and now dean of the Paris School of International Affairs at Sciences Po; and Oby Ezekwesili, former minister for education and minister of mineral resources of Nigeria, and senior economic adviser of the Africa Economic Development Policy Initiative.

Remember that our episodes will now land in your podcast feeds at our new time early Friday mornings!

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In this episode, we unpack what to expect in Brussels this August as EU decision making grinds to a halt. Also, we explore how extreme weather in Europe is weighing against tourism demands, and how politicians are responding.

Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by Nicholas Vinocur, POLITICO's editor at large, and EU politics reporter Gregorio Sorgi. They explain the European Commission's "designated survivor" concept, which keeps the legislative body afloat thanks to a few (unlucky) commissioners stuck in the Berlaymont. Also, with EU decision making largely on hold, we reveal the other stories that could bubble up this summer — and forecast the big issues we can expect to dominate headlines come September.

Suzanne is then joined by Zia Weise, our reporter covering climate policy, and aviation reporter Mari Eccles to discuss the extreme weather experienced by parts of Europe in July and how this is shaping everything from policymaking to tourism.

Programming note: We are taking a summer break and will return on September 1 — at a new day and time! EU Confidential is moving from our usual Thursday evenings to early Friday mornings. So do be sure to follow the podcast so that you never miss an episode. See you in September!

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We analyze the outcome of the recent elections in Spain and what it means for the country and the EU going forward. Also, we discuss the EU's proposal targeting SLAPPs — strategic lawsuits against public participation, which often target journalists and civil society activists.

Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by POLITICO's Aitor Hernández-Morales to discuss the outcome of the Spanish election on July 23. Aitor explains the fascinating forces that shaped the final days of the campaign, why the outcome isn't so clear cut, and where the government goes from here. You can read all of Aitor's reporting on the election here.

Then, Suzanne speaks to Andrew Caruana Galizia, the son of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia who was killed in 2017 by a car bomb in an assassination that shocked Malta and the wider European community. At the time of her death, Daphne was facing dozens of so-called SLAPPs lawsuits. Andrew explains what the EU is trying to do to harmonize anti-SLAPPs legislation across the bloc, but why it's at risk of being watered down.

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In this packed episode, we explain the outcomes of this week's summit with Latin America, we debate whether Americans can hold key roles in EU institutions and discuss the power dynamics of the European Commission under Ursula von der Leyen.

Host Suzanne Lynch is first joined by POLITICO's Nicholas Vinocur to discuss a story that's got everyone in Brussels talking this week: the controversy over the proposed appointment of a top U.S. anti-trust expert who's recently consulted for several Big Tech companies as the EU's chief economist. While the candidate, Fiona Scott Morton, has now said she won't take up the position, what does the pushback say about the EU and its institutions?

Suzanne is then joined by POLITICO's Hans von der Burchard and Barbara Moens at the conclusion of this week's summit in Brussels with the leaders of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. The team unpacks the biggest sticking point — language condemning Russia's war in Ukraine — and explains where the two sides made progress on key goals when it comes to trade and investment. We also hear from Fredrik Persson, representing BusinessEurope, about how the EU has neglected the Latin American region and how the business community is handling sensitivities around Europe's colonial past.

Finally, Suzanne speaks to Irish academic Desmond Dinan, Jean Monnet Professor at the George Mason School of Public Policy, about the power dynamics of the European Commission under its current president, Ursula von der Leyen.

Also, be sure to listen to POLITICO's exclusive podcast interview this week with the head of MI6, Richard Moore — recorded for our new Power Play podcast, which launches in September! And while you're at it, follow Power Play on your favorite podcast app and sign up here to receive our email alerts when new episodes publish.

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Governments around the world have committed to end HIV by 2030. The target is known as the 95-95-95 goals — 95 percent of people living with HIV diagnosed and knowing their status, 95 percent of those linked to HIV treatment and care and 95 percent of those on treatment to be undetectable, therefore unable to pass the virus on.

Innovative medications have already changed HIV infection from a deadly disease to a manageable chronic condition. But to end HIV entirely, we will need to invest in innovation, develop new treatment and prevention options focusing on the needs of individuals and their preferences, new healthcare policies and new approaches to fight the stigma that HIV still carries.

Host David Baker speaks to Jared Baeten, Gilead Sciences’ HIV Clinical Development Vice President; Cristina Mussini, professor of infectious diseases at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy; Maria José Fuster, professor of psychology at Spain’s National University of Distance Education in Madrid and who has been living with HIV for 34 years; and Susana Solís Pérez, a member of the European Parliament from the Renew Europe group, to find out the practical steps that Europe needs to take to end the HIV epidemic for everyone, everywhere by the end of the decade.

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This week, we bring you the latest from Vilnius as NATO leaders wrap up a crucial meeting of the defense alliance, plus all the news from Strasbourg as MEPs clash over an EU proposal to protect biodiversity.

Joining our host Suzanne Lynch from the Lithuanian capital is Jan Cienski, who breaks down the outcomes of the summit — including the latest on Ukraine's membership ambitions and the thorny question of security guarantees. He also explains Turkey's crucial role in unblocking Sweden's bid to join the alliance and how the Turkish leader managed to link this decision to the country's bid for EU membership. Here's more from Suzanne and our colleague Jacopo Barigazzi.

Then we turn to Strasbourg where POLITICO's Louise Guillot unpacks the outcome of one of the biggest legislative battles in recent memory over the EU's nature restoration law — pinning business and farming industries against environmentalists and conservationists. She explains how this vote was a political blow for MEP Manfred Weber, leader of the center-right EPP Group in the European Parliament who tried to block the legislation, and what it indicates about Europe's broader green ambitions.

Finally, we discuss the optimum outcome from the war in Ukraine — both for Ukraine and Europe — with the authors of a new Chatham House report, Orysia Lutsevych and James Nixey. The report is called "How to end Russia’s war on Ukraine" and can be found here.

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There’s one key weapon that would be a gamechanger in the fight to end HIV transmission in Europe by 2030 – a cure. Forty years after scientists in Paris identified the virus that caused AIDS, we still don't have one. But, given that certain populations in Europe still don't have access to existing prevention, testing and treatments, there's a big question looming over the race for a cure: If it's ever found, will Europe get it to those who need it most?

In this live recording of EU Confidential in focus, POLITICO's Ashleigh Furlong debates these questions with Sara Cerdas, a Portuguese Member of the European Parliament from the Socialists and Democrats group who works on health-related legislation, Belgium’s former Health Minister Maggie De Block, and Ann Isabelle von Lingen, policy and programme manager for combination prevention at the European AIDS Treatment Group.

This is the third of several bonus episodes of EU Confidential coming to you this month. Your regular EU Confidential episodes will still appear in your feed every Thursday. And, if you haven't already, be sure to listen to our previous episodes on criminalizing HIV transmission and how to eliminate HIV in Europe's prisons.

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This week's EU Confidential comes to you from Madrid as Spain takes over the six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Spain's stint in the rotating chair has been overshadowed by a national election, with Spaniards set to go to the polls on July 23. The podcast team takes the political temperature among voters in the suburb of Alcorcón along with POLITICO's Jakob Hanke Vela, while political scientist Pablo Simón unpicks some of the political dynamics at play ahead of the election.

We also speak to some of the most senior officials in the Spanish government, including Minister for the Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera and First Vice President Nadia Calviño about what to expect over the next six months. For more on how Spain's summer election might play out, check out this dispatch from POLITICO's Aitor Hernández-Morales. 

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Activists have worked for years to eliminate HIV-associated stigma. But within multiple European countries, people are still prosecuted for transmitting HIV. Despite clear guidance from HIV organizations emphasizing the harms associated with criminal prosecutions of these cases, countries continue to make offenders out of people who have transmitted HIV.

POLITICO's Ashleigh Furlong speaks to James, a man who's experienced the impact of HIV criminalization first-hand. We also hear from Edwin Bernard, Executive Director of the HIV Justice Network, who's been mapping HIV criminalization for years and advocating for the end of such prosecutions. And finally, we head to Bethnal Green to speak with Kat Smithson from the National AIDS Trust. She’s worked with people affected by HIV criminalization, as well as the police and the Crown Prosecution Service to try and influence legal and policy developments.

This is the second of several bonus episodes of EU Confidential coming to you over the next month. Your regular EU Confidential episodes will still appear in your feed every Thursday.

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Our slightly-later edition of this week's EU Confidential comes to you from on-the-ground at the European Council — where the EU's 27 leaders are discussing topics ranging from security guarantees for Ukraine, to migration and the bloc's position on China. But recent news out of Russia has many concerned about instability in the region.

POLITICO's senior reporters Lili Bayer and Jacopo Barigazzi sit down with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda to discuss his concerns about potential Wagner forces in neighboring Belarus — and the threat that could pose for the EU.

Then, host Suzanne Lynch is joined by Senior France Correspondent Clea Caulcutt, Senior Trade Reporter Barbara Moens and Senior Politics Reporter Hans von der Burchard to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine, migration and the EU's position on sensitive technologies made in China.

And in the second half of the podcast, we pivot away from the European Council and hear from Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf. During a visit to Brussels earlier this week, he makes it clear that the EU shouldn't close the door to Scottish membership in the European Union.

Programming note: The next bonus episode of our EU Confidential in focus series on HIV will drop in your feed next Tuesday. Our health care colleague Ashleigh Furlong tackles the tricky topic of criminalization around HIV.

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In the first episode of our EU Confidential: In Focus mini-series on HIV in Europe, we take you inside a French prison successfully tackling the spread of the disease.

POLITICO's Sarah-Taïssir Bencharif and Cristina Gonzalez head to Montpellier to meet the medical team at Maison d’arrêt de Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone. Doctor Fadi Meroueh, the head of the prison’s clinic, explains the innovative protocols and medicines they've put in place to limit the spread of HIV among prisoners, as well as the challenges of practicing medicine in prison and the various ways HIV can spread from cell to cell.

If Europe wants to eradicate HIV transmission, it must take a closer look at its prisons. The figures speak for themselves: In the WHO’s European Region, the HIV rate stands at around 0.43 percent for the general population but at least 2.6 percent among prisoners, according to the latest available data. But eliminating the disease in this complex setting is anything but easy. POLITICO takes you inside this prison to better understand the stakes, the challenges — and the successes — in stopping HIV transmission, one immune cell and jail cell at a time.

This is the first of several bonus episodes of EU Confidential coming to you over the next month. Your regular EU Confidential episodes will still appear in your feed every Thursday.

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This week’s EU Confidential episode comes to you from London, where the Ukraine Recovery Conference has just wrapped up.

Ukraine may still be fighting a war, but already a conversation has started about how to rebuild the country. It’s a mammoth task — the price tag is already a cool $411 billion, according to the World Bank, United Nations and European Commission — a figure that will only increase as the war grinds on. 

Suzanne caught up with European Commission Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis on the sidelines of the conference, about the EU’s proposed €50 billion package for the Ukraine. POLITICO’s Paola Tamma also joins us to discuss how the EU’s package will work in practice, and some of the challenges ahead.

Finally, we’ll hear from Oleksandra Azarkhina, Ukraine’s deputy minister for communities, territories and infrastructure development, about the reality for Ukraine as it tries to rebuild its country in the midst of war.

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This week's episode dives deep into artificial intelligence — and how the EU is responding to this rapidly developing technology.

Host Suzanne Lynch joins listeners from Strasbourg as the European Parliament took a major step forward this week on turning the EU's sweeping legislation, the Artificial Intelligence Act, into reality. We hear directly from European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton on the origins of this act, and its aims — and he addresses the criticism that it could harm innovation.

POLITICO's Technology and Competition Editor Aoife White and Mark Scott, chief technology correspondent, put Europe's efforts to regulate AI into the broader context of European tech regulations and discuss how this affects Brussels' relations with the United States and others.

We also hear the industry's perspective from Victoria Espinel, president and CEO at BSA | The Software Alliance.

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In this bumper edition, we explain what's behind recent large protests in Poland, why some in Brussels want to stymie Hungary in the EU decision-making process and we take you along on a new night train route from Berlin to Brussels.

Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets in Poland at the weekend — expressing their anger at the ruling conservative government. POLITICO's Senior Policy Editor Jan Cienski explains what's driving these protests ahead of elections in Poland later this year.

And in the European Parliament, a debate has erupted around how much power Hungary should have when it comes to the EU decision-making process, given rule-of-law standards in the country. Lili Bayer, POLITICO's senior reporter covering Central and Eastern Europe, explains why some are concerned about Hungary's presidency of the Council of the EU, which is set to happen next year.

And finally, POLITICO's Joshua Posaner and Cristina Gonzalez take you on board the inaugural journey of a new night train traveling from Berlin to Brussels. We explore the difficulties of establishing international overnight routes in Europe and share our impressions from the journey in discussions with the co-founder of the train company as well as fellow passengers. We end our journey in Brussels where POLITICO's Hanne Cokelaere speaks to Belgium's Transport Minister Georges Gilkinet about his efforts to make his country a hub for European sleeper trains.

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This week's episode comes to you from the second meeting of the European Political Community in the Moldovan capital of Chișinău. 

With over 40 heads of state and government invited to attend, host Suzanne Lynch discusses what's at stake for the European continent with senior France Correspondent Clea Caulcutt. We dive into the prospects for countries like Moldova and Ukraine to join the EU, as well as other issues that have bubbled up in recent days, including clashes in North Kosovo. On that issue, we hear exclusively from Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti, who spoke to POLITICO's Chief Europe Correspondent Matthew Karnitschnig and senior reporter Lili Bayer on the sidelines of the GLOBSEC conference in Bratislava.

Suzanne also speaks with Moldovan Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu, as well as Iulian Groza, the head of a Moldovan think tank called the Institute for European Policies and Reforms. We also hear from other EU leaders attending the EPC meeting, as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

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This week, we debate the EU's latest attempt to combat foreign influence with its forthcoming "Defence of Democracy package," which some in Brussels claim could result in unintended consequences.

POLITICO's Suzanne Lynch speaks to the European Commission’s special adviser on foreign interference, Ivana Karásková, a Czech academic and expert on Chinese influence. She provides insight into the degree of foreign influence in the European Union. She also explains the rationale behind a specific piece of this package, which is causing concern, particularly among NGOs: potential rules that would subject civil society organizations to report if they receive funding from third-country donors.

Then we're joined by Sarah Wheaton, POLITICO's chief policy correspondent and author of our EU Influence newsletter, and Nicholas Aiossa, deputy director and head of policy and advocacy at Transparency International EU. They dig into the concerns that this package will have unintended consequences for European democracy — and discuss what better tools the Commission could consider with an eye on better transparency in EU advocacy and lobbying.

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This week, we dive into the political upheaval in Bulgaria and the resignation of the country's EU Commissioner Mariya Gabriel. And we begin our spotlight series on the European Parliament, as the dates for elections next year are finalized.

Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by Christian Oliver, POLITICO's head of news, and Antoaneta Roussi, our cybersecurity reporter and Bulgaria expert. They reveal how Bulgaria’s mafia state is reaching its breaking point and why these rapid political changes have resulted in the resignation of Gabriel — who's been tapped to form a coalition government back home. But what kind of reputation does she leave behind in Brussels? We answer that question and explain what's next for Ursula von der Leyen's Commission.

And in the week when the dates of the next European parliamentary election have been set for June 6 to June 9, our colleague Souwie Buis introduces us to two of its newest members, Damian Boeselager and Kim van Sparrentak. They give us the inside scoop on how they became MEPs and the surprising things they've learned on the job, as well as how the Parliament could be reformed ahead of the next election. POLITICO's politics reporter covering the Parliament Eddy Wax also joins the discussion.

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This week, the focus is on Turkey and what's at stake in elections happening May 14. We also hear from British writer and scholar Hugh Pope, who has written extensively on modern Turkey and tackles the long-standing issue of EU accession.

Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by POLITICO's Head of News Christian Oliver and Turkish journalist Elçin Poyrazlar. They discuss tensions on the ground as election day approaches and the possible fall-out should incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan lose. The panel also considers the growing cost of living crisis in Turkey and opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu's chances of holding together a shaky alliance in the event of victory.

British writer and scholar Hugh Pope provides us with historical context to EU-Turkey relations, especially when it comes to the long-contested issue of joining the bloc. He explains why the idea of Turkey joining the EU might never come to pass.

Finally, this week marked Europe Day commemorating the Schuman Declaration of 1950 and we ask the significance of Robert Schuman in our decoding Brussels segment. 

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As the EU defense industry gets the green light to ramp up ammunitions production, we hear from former Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe Ben Hodges on why Crimea holds the key to a Ukrainian victory. We also ask why Giorgia Meloni's far-right government in Italy is struggling to spend EU recovery funds in time — yes, you read that right, and find out what European diplomats think of Netflix series “The Diplomat.”

This week our host, Suzanne Lynch is joined by POLITICO's Senior EU Reporter Jacopo Barigazzi to take stock of Meloni's first six months in office — including her surprisingly pragmatic relationship with Brussels and her struggles to provide concrete spending plans for the billions of euros of EU recovery funds ear-marked for Italy.

Our Editor at Large Nick Vinocur reviews the new Netflix series, “The Diplomat,” and shares how it’s landing with diplomats in Brussels and how it stacks up against their own experience.

POLITICO's Senior Policy Reporter Joshua Posaner speaks with former Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe Ben Hodges in Berlin about why Ukraine will never be safe so long as Russia occupies Crimea, and Europe's surprising lack of infrastructure for transporting military equipment to Ukraine.

And finally, Jacopo returns to decode this week's Brussels jargon: COREPER.

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"We have created the best Europe there has ever been" — so says Timothy Garton Ash, this week's special guest. Meanwhile, former vice president of the European Parliament, Eva Kaili, is fighting more criminal allegations, this time for a kickback scheme involving four of her former assistants and approximately €100,000.

Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by POLITICO's politics reporter, Eddy Wax, who has been following the saga of Greek MEP Kaili since her arrest late last year in the Qatargate scandal. Now, under house arrest, Kaili faces renewed scrutiny as further evidence of her involvement in three potentially fraudulent activities has come to light in documents obtained by POLITICO earlier this week. Her lawyers deny all wrong-doing on her behalf and are fighting to maintain the parliamentary immunity she currently enjoys.

If you're wondering what exactly this immunity entails, listen for this week's EU jargon-busting blast!

British historian Timothy Garton Ash talks to us about his new book, "Homelands: A Personal History of Europe," which "isn't a book about Brussels or the EU" but does grapple with vital questions like how Europe's past will shape its future. Garton Ash believes Germany and the war in Ukraine hold the key to this future. He also weighs up the chances of Britain's return to the EU.  

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We're back from a break and straight into tackling the geopolitical tensions that underlie a sudden ban on Ukraine's grain exports by neighboring Poland, Hungary and Slovakia. We also discuss Ursula von der Leyen's recent visit to Germany where she has been assured of the support of her Christian Democrat party, should she try for a second term as Commission president. And we hear from the EU's first high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Catherine Ashton, as she looks back on the highs and the lows of her time in office.

A compromise has now been reached between Poland and Ukraine on the transit of grain through Poland and on to the Baltic Sea ports. Our host, Suzanne Lynch, is joined by POLITICO's Senior Policy Editor for Energy & Environment, Jan Cienski, to explore how this stand-off has affected already frayed relations between Brussels and the Polish government and potentially undermined its close connection with Ukraine.

We are also joined by POLITICO's Senior Politics Reporter in Germany, Hans von der Burchard, who dives into the tricky terrain of the spitzenkandidaten process — how it went wrong in the 2019 elections and whether it will help or hinder von der Leyen should she go for another term as Commission president.

Finally, we hear from Catherine Ashton, about her new book: "And then what?: Inside Stories of 21st Century Diplomacy." She talks with Suzanne about negotiating the Iran nuclear deal, Russia's war in Ukraine and proving her critics wrong. 

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This week, Finland joins NATO while Ukraine's foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, joins us here in the POLITICO studio to talk about his own country's NATO ambitions. We also follow EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron's China visit as they meet Xi Jinping in Beijing this week.

Our host, Suzanne Lynch, is joined this week by POLITICO's EU-China Correspondent Stuart Lau, co-author of our recently relaunched China Watcher newsletter. We also hear from our Senior France Correspondent Clea Caulcutt, who is in Beijing. Together they unpack the diverging agendas of von der Leyen and Macron in China with the help of POLITICO's very own Editor-in-Chief Jamil Anderlini, who travelled with the French president to China.

Stuart also decodes some important Brussels-speak when it comes to EU-China trade relations in our regular jargon-busting segment.

Finally, NATO's open-door policy on Ukrainian membership, Western war fatigue and China's role as peace broker in Russia's war on Ukraine, are all on the table in Suzanne's conversation with Kuleba during his visit to Brussels this week.

Programming note: EU Confidential takes a break next week, but we'll be back in your feeds on April 20!

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The worst strikes and protests in decades bring both France and Germany to a standstill this week. Is this just the beginning of Europe’s cost of living crisis? Our special guest is Director General of the Commission Legal services, Daniel Calleja.

Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by POLITICO’s Senior France Correspondent, Clea Caulcutt and Chief Europe Correspondent, Matt Karnitschnig to delve into the forces driving unrest in France following President Emmanuel Macron’s pension reforms. They ask if the worst transport strikes to hit Germany in decades are a sign of things to come for a less economically affluent Europe? And wonder if a visit from Britain’s King Charles might provide some welcome distraction. 

SCOOP: POLITICO’s Senior Climate Correspondent, Karl Mathiesen reveals how top EU Chiefs – Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel, shared a private jet to major climate change event, COP27 .

We also hear from the man in charge of “the best law firm in Brussels” – Daniel Calleja, who has held a number of top Commission posts in more than thirty years with the institution.

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Coming to you from this week’s European Council summit in Brussels, competitiveness and the economy are high on the agenda, alongside a historic EU agreement for joint arms procurement.

We also discuss French President Emanuel Macron’s plummeting popularity ratings at home, and Franco-German wrangling over nuclear energy and e-fuels. Taking us through all this and more is host Suzanne Lynch, along with POLITICO’s Jacopo Barigazzi, Clea Caulcutt and Barbara Moens.

We then hear from the CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce to the EU, Susan Danger, on European competitiveness, and get her take on America’s much-debated Inflation Reduction Act.

Finally, we decode Brussels-speak. The podcast crew unpacks this week’s EU jargon: EUCO.

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We debate Germany's last-minute effort to derail EU plans to end the sale of combustion engines by 2035. And our special guest is author and activist Bill Browder, discussing how the EU can take a stronger stance on punishing human rights violators.

The EU wants to ban the sale of new combustion-engine vehicles by 2035, but the policy isn't going down well with German lawmakers keen to protect the country's behemoth car industry. Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by POLITICO's Joshua Posaner and Hans von der Burchard to unpack the latest row stirring debate about the future of Das Auto.

Then, Suzanne sits down with Bill Browder in the European Parliament in Strasbourg to discuss his efforts to draw EU attention to political prisoners in Russia and Georgia.

Finally, Josh and Hans return for our final segment decoding Brussels-speak. This week, the team explains what a "trilogue" is in EU policymaking. 

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This week, we debate a controversy over travel rules for top EU officials and unpack what the European Commission president is hoping to achieve during her visit to North America. Our special guest is Balázs Orbán, political director to the Hungarian prime minister (no relation to his boss).

Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by POLITICO's Mari Eccles and Karl Mathiesen to discuss a big story dominating the Brussels bubble involving paid travel by a top EU bureaucrat to Qatar while negotiating a critical aviation deal with the Gulf state. We dive into why this conflict-of-interest flap matters for EU politics — and to European citizens. Also, we reveal what European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hopes to get out of visits this week to Canada and with U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington.

And POLITICO's Lili Bayer speaks to Balázs Orbán, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s political director, who plays a key role in Budapest's international efforts to build relationships with conservative communities around the globe. They also talk about rule-of-law concerns and decode Hungary's rhetoric surrounding Russia's war in Ukraine.

Finally, Mari helps our listeners better understand what it means when people in Brussels talk about a "DG." Remember, if you have ideas for our segment on decoding Brussels-speak, email us at [email protected].

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This week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met King Charles III at Windsor Castle after a deal was sealed on a long-awaited solution to the post-Brexit trade row over Northern Ireland.

Host Suzanne Lynch in Brussels is joined by Ailbhe Rea, co-host of our sister podcast Westminster Insider, and a special guest — the EU's final British Commissioner, Julian King — to discuss this latest chapter in the Brexit saga and where the EU-U.K. relationship goes from here. We also hear from Barry Andrews, an Irish member of the European Parliament.

Then, POLITICO's Jacopo Barigazzi kicks off a brand new feature of EU Confidential — decoding "Brussels-speak." We're helping our listeners better understand the jargon and acronyms that dominate EU policy-making. This week's phrase is "Perm Rep."

If you'd like to suggest an example of Brussels jargon you'd like us to decode, you can always get in touch by emailing [email protected].

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As we approach the one year mark of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU Confidential crew chronicles the historic policy shifts in the EU and European capitals with the help of Bulgarian political scientist, Ivan Krastev.

Host Suzanne Lynch discusses the seismic changes in Europe over the past year with Ivan Krastev, chairman of the Center for Liberal Strategies in Sofia and a permanent fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna.

Then POLITICO's Veronika Melkozerova in Kyiv describes the mood there after U.S. President Joe Biden's visit earlier this week — and how Ukrainians are trying to re-build and stay positive, as the one-year mark of war looms.

Finally, Suzanne speaks to curators at a museum in Kyiv who are gathering evidence of war crimes in an attempt to hold Russia to account.

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This week, we unpack some of the transparency issues plaguing the EU's top institutions, and our special guest is Eurogroup President Paschal Donohoe on Europe's economic outlook.

Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by POLITICO's European Parliament reporter Eddy Wax in Strasbourg, to discuss the ongoing Qatargate scandal — including the arrest in the past few days of two more MEPs in connection with the police probe. POLITICO's Sarah Wheaton in Brussels also weighs in on the proposal to create an EU-wide independent ethics body to address transparency concerns. Meanwhile, MEPs are resisting efforts to clean up the chamber, as Sarah reports in this recent article.

The podcast crew also debates the news that the European Commission is being sued for failing to release text messages between its president Ursula von der Leyen and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla when the Commission was negotiating with the drug company on coronavirus vaccine procurement.

And Suzanne sits down with Eurogroup President Paschal Donohoe to discuss Europe's economic outlook, how the bloc is coping with high inflation and the impact of the war in Ukraine.

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Coming to you during Thursday's meeting of EU leaders, we discuss Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's (not so) surprise visit to Brussels, as well as other topics on the agenda: migration and Europe's response to the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act.

On the sidelines of the European Council in Brussels, host Suzanne Lynch sits down with POLITICO's Clea Caulcutt, Barbara Moens and Jacopo Barigazzi to analyze the impact of Zelenskyy's visit to Brussels, which became the source of controversy after the news of his trip was leaked earlier in the week. The group also discusses the EU's attempts to make progress on its migration policy, as well as the bloc’s plan to make Europe more competitive.

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All eyes are on Ukraine as the EU's top officials visit Kyiv for a historic summit — the first to be held in an active war zone. And Moldovan President Maia Sandu is our special guest.

Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by POLITICO's Veronika Melkozerova in Kyiv and Matthew Karnitschnig in Berlin to discuss what we can expect from the visit by EU leaders to the Ukrainian capital — including whether sending Ukraine fighter jets is now part of the discussion and if Ukraine's prospects for joining the EU have advanced.

Also looking to join the EU eventually is Moldova. Suzanne sat down with President Maia Sandu as her country prepares to host the next meeting of the European Political Community in June. They discuss what we can expect from that meeting, as well as her country's EU prospects, the impact of the war in Ukraine and her own political journey.

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Our POLITICO team has the inside scoop on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's long-awaited decision to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and how it's landing internationally. Also, our special guest is Mairead McGuinness, the EU's financial services commissioner.

POLITICO's Suzanne Lynch is joined by Chief Europe Correspondent Matthew Karnitschnig and Hans von der Burchard, our senior politics reporter covering the German chancellery. They break down Scholz's decision to send tanks to Ukraine (along with the U.S. and others) and debate the reaction to it domestically and among international partners. The German chancellor stuck to his position that he would not move until Washington also agreed to send the heavy military kit, but what was the cost of the delay?

Then, the EU's Financial Services Commissioner Mairead McGuinness joins Suzanne to talk through the EU's approach to enforcing Russian sanctions and how the bloc is leading the charge when it comes to regulating cryptocurrencies.

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The EU Confidential crew takes you inside this week's World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland where the world's rich and powerful are gathered.

POLITICO's Suzanne Lynch, Ryan Heath, Erin Banco and Alex Ward unpack the big speeches on Wednesday by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The team discusses the latest on international efforts to send tanks to Ukraine, and we hear from Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis on this issue. Looking ahead to the reconstruction of Ukraine, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development President Odile Renaud-Basso shares her perspective on what we could expect.

We also continue our reporting on the transatlantic tensions being hashed out on the sidelines of the WEF main stage — in particular, the green tech subsidy spat between the EU and U.S. Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar weighs in on this issue. If you haven't done so already, listen to our bonus episode from earlier in the week, which dove into this topic in great detail.

And Agnès Callamard, the Secretary General of Amnesty International, shares her thoughts on whether countries with concerning human rights track records should be given a platform at the event. 

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It's Thursday morning and today we bring you bumper editions from Davos with our final episode of the week landing later this evening.

In this episode, POLITICO Europe's Editor-in-Chief Jamil Anderlini sits down with Academy Award-winning film director Oliver Stone to discuss his new documentary, "Nuclear." Jamil and Oliver are joined by Joshua Goldstein, author of the book which inspired the film, "A Bright Future." The live conversation took place at the Blockchain Hub, at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Then, we hear from the European Commissioner for the Economy Paolo Gentiloni. He explains to POLITICO's Jakob Hanke Vela that the EU needs to loosen the bloc's state aid rules to compete with American subsidies and make sure poorer EU countries aren't left behind in the green transition.

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It's Wednesday, and we're back with another episode from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

POLITICO's Suzanne Lynch, Alex Ward and Jakob Hanke Vela reveal the on-the-ground EU-U.S. subsidy spat playing out here in Davos. We analyze European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's speech at the WEF, where she announced the EU's policy response to compete with Washington's subsidy spree. And Alex speaks to U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, who played an instrumental role in passing America's Inflation Reduction Act, which Europeans see as creating competition for their own industries.

Then POLITICO's Ryan Heath sits down with Gary Cohn, former director of America's National Economic Council and now vice chairman of IBM, to discuss the protectionism tensions between Europe and the United States and hear his surprising economic outlook for the coming year.

Finally, Ryan heads over to the Female Quotient's Equality Lounge® to speak with its founder, Shelley Zalis. She's been helping to bring VIPs into the conversation outside the main WEF stage — even while speaking to this podcast, bringing fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg and Alyse Nelson of the Vital Voices Global Partnership into her chat with Ryan.

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As the World Economic Forum gets underway, we dive into the stories everyone is talking about on the Magic Mountain.

POLITICO's Jakob Hanke Vela sits down with PwC Global Chairman Bob Moritz to discuss the findings from their global CEO survey — most CEOs are more pessimistic than they've been in over a decade about the economic growth outlook in the next year.

Then host Suzanne Lynch discusses the future of the World Economic Forum with POLITICO's Ryan Heath. He has spoken to dozens of people about the elusive plans for what happens when WEF Chairman Klaus Schwab, nearly 85 years young, is no longer in charge.

Finally, we turn our focus to cryptocurrencies. POLITICO's Erin Banco speaks to Anthony Scaramucci about the crypto industry's efforts to build back trust. And we hear from Dante Disparte, chief strategy officer and head of global policy for Circle, about how companies like his view regulation of the industry.

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From Davos, Switzerland, the POLITICO crew unpacks the big global issues facing businesses, governments and international organizations as top leaders gather for this year's World Economic Forum.

Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by Ryan Heath, Erin Banco and Alex Ward to debate which issues are likely to dominate over the coming days — everything from recession concerns to climate and crypto. The veterans on our crew also reveal their top tips for surviving the dizzying week atop the magic mountain.

Then Ryan speaks to Richard Edelman, CEO of global public relations firm Edelman, about the latest findings from his company's annual Trust Barometer. 

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This week, the EU Confidential crew travels to Stockholm to examine Sweden's domestic political challenges such as migration, crime and climate — and we dive into the country's priorities as it takes on the presidency of the Council of the EU.

Host Suzanne Lynch meets POLITICO's Stockholm Correspondent Charlie Duxbury in the Swedish Parliament to discuss the country's latest election. It resulted in a conservative coalition government that relies, controversially, on support from the far-right Sweden Democrats to push through its policies.

We dive into Sweden's challenges with migration, sitting down with Migration Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard as well as a leading voice in the opposition on this issue, Annika Hirvonen of the Green Party. And we hear from Tobias Lohse, CEO of Refugees Welcome Sweden, about the practicalities of integrating migrants into society.

Charlie then takes us to a neighborhood that is struggling to address violent crime, to discuss how this issue is shaping political debate domestically. You can read more of Charlie's coverage of gang violence in Sweden here.

Finally, we unpack Sweden’s priorities as it begins its presidency of the Council of the EU — charged with steering EU policies over the next six months. And we hear from Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström.

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It's a bumper edition to start the new year as we look ahead to the big stories likely to dominate the EU's agenda in 2023.

POLITICO's top policy reporters Barbara Moens, Mark Scott, Charlie Cooper and Karl Mathiesen join host Suzanne Lynch to break down the EU's biggest challenges this year when it comes to climate, technology, energy and trade. Then our Editor at Large Nick Vinocur explores the broader geopolitical outlook as Russia's war in Ukraine continues. At home, he predicts a heated political season leading up to the European Parliament elections in 2024.

POLITICO's Chief Policy Correspondent Sarah Wheaton brings us up to speed on the latest developments in the Qatargate story, which continues to rock the European institutions. For more background, listen to this episode of EU Confidential from December.

Finally, we introduce you to Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob. The energy executive-turned-politician sat down with POLITICO's Lili Bayer and Victor Jack after the last European Council in December to discuss a range of issues including energy, Qatargate and his own career.

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Our final episode of 2022 is a bumper edition featuring the latest news and analysis of the Qatar corruption scandal centering around the European Parliament — and we look back on the incredible news year that was 2022.

POLITICO's Suzanne Lynch is joined by Sarah Wheaton, Barbara Moens and Ali Walker to unpack the who, what, when, and where of the corruption scandal linked to Qatar. There have been arrests in Belgium and Italy over the past days — notably nabbing European Parliament Vice President Eva Kaili for alleged corruption and money laundering. The team gives their analysis of the saga and reveals the fallout of this scandal in Brussels and beyond. Follow our continuing coverage of Qatargate here.

Then Suzanne speaks with European Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly, who calls for tougher standards for EU ethics rules. You can also read the story here.

Finally, we look back on the stories which defined 2022 with our Editor-in-Chief Jamil Anderlini and Senior France Correspondent Clea Caulcutt. Here are the stories mentioned in the episode.

Leaked: The Altrnativ world of cybersurveillance

The Turkish connection: How Erdoğan’s confidant helped Iran finance terror

Poland and Hungary: How a love affair turned toxic

Putin’s useful German idiots

The end of Macronism

European Parliament plots backroom deal to appoint top bureaucrat

POLITICO 28 — Class of 2023

Programming note: We are off for the holidays but back in your feed on January 5!

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This week's episode comes to you from the Albanian capital of Tirana where EU leaders met with Western Balkan hopefuls. And we dive into the fascinating world of spies operating in Brussels.

Host Suzanne Lynch brings us up to speed on the EU's latest efforts to woo Western Balkan countries that want to become members of the bloc at a first-of-its-kind summit in the region. EU officials are increasingly concerned about the influence of Russia and China in the countries on the bloc's doorstep. Then, British journalist and author Misha Glenny, who now serves as rector of the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna, weighs in with his analysis of why joining the EU remains challenging for countries in the region.

Also, POLITICO's Barbara Moens shares insights into her recent reporting on the EU's spy problem. Despite Belgium upping its counterintelligence game, Brussels remains a spies' playground as the home of the EU institutions and NATO. Read the full story here.

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This week, we debate simmering industrial tensions in the EU over a new U.S. law. We also get an update on the situation in Ukraine, including from Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, and discuss Europe's future ahead of a big event in Brussels this Friday to consider citizen's suggestions for how to improve the EU.

Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by Senior Trade Correspondent Barbara Moens and Editor at Large Nick Vinocur to debate rising EU concerns about a new U.S. law, the Inflation Reduction Act, which provides generous “Made in the U.S.A.” subsidies and threatens European competitiveness.

Then, POLITICO's Lili Bayer traveled to Ukraine with a group of seven foreign ministers from the Baltic and Nordic regions. We hear from several of the ministers, as well as Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba about what Kyiv needs at this point in the war and how Europe can help.

Finally, Suzanne sits down with Commission Vice-President Dubravka Šuica who explains how her institution has responded to suggestions put forth by citizens via the Conference on the Future of Europe. We also hear from Gabriele Bischoff, a German member of the European Parliament from the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats, about how she hopes the EU institutions will respond to citizen concerns.

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This week, we debate how Europe is grappling with Twitter since Elon Musk took the helm. We hear from Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko and discuss a new book about the EU's "Superstate" status.

Sarah Wheaton, author of POLITICO's EU Influence newsletter, hosts this episode. She's joined by Technology and Competition Editor Aoife White and Editor at Large Nick Vinocur to chew over the Brussels bubble's reliance on Twitter — as questions swirl about the social media platform's future. They also discuss how EU officials are grappling with legal questions surrounding Musk's recent decisions on personnel and content.

Then, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko sits down with POLITICO's Jamie Dettmer to discuss how his city is preparing for the cold winter months ahead.

Also, Sarah speaks with Alasdair Roberts, professor of public policy and author of a new book, "Superstates: Empires of the Twenty-First Century." He unpacks the challenges of governance faced by what he refers to as "Superstates" such as the European Union, as well as the United States, India and China.

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The annual gathering of G20 leaders in Bali, Indonesia was overshadowed by a deadly incident in Poland. A missile struck a village close to the border with Ukraine, killing two people. The origin of the missile was initially unclear, but it prompted crisis meetings among leaders and fears of military escalation. In this week's show, we analyze reactions in Europe and around the world.

POLITICO's Jan Cienski joins host Suzanne Lynch in the studio with the latest information on what happened and the reaction from the Polish government and NATO. And from Lviv in Ukraine, Opinion Editor Jamie Dettmer dials in to tell us about the response from Kyiv and the impact the latest Russian assault on the country's energy infrastructure has had. China Correspondent Stuart Lau joins us from Bali to talk through the carefully calibrated responses from G20 leaders. We also discuss the three-hour meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the annual diplomatic jamboree — only the second foreign trip by the Chinese leader since the COVID pandemic.

We also talk to Zsuzsanna Szelényi, a former political colleague turned harsh critic of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. She charts Orbán's journey from democratic hope to what she describes as increasing authoritarianism. 

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On this week's episode, host Suzanne Lynch in Brussels speaks with Karl Mathiesen, POLITICO's senior climate correspondent, at the COP27 climate conference in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. And we discuss whether we are entering a new Cold War with historian and author Professor Mary Sarotte.

Karl explains the goals of the ongoing U.N. climate diplomacy jamboree and the impact geopolitics is having on achieving global climate targets. We also hear exclusively from Alok Sharma, the U.K.'s COP26 president, about his role in climate policy over the years and what he sees as the biggest threats to climate progress.

Our special guest is Professor Mary Sarotte, whose latest book "Not One Inch: America, Russia, and the Making of Post-Cold War Stalemate," explores the geopolitical tensions between NATO, Russia and the United States. The historian speaks with POLITICO's Matthew Karnitschnig in Berlin where she's currently based as a fellow at the American Academy in Berlin.

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As Americans head to the polls next week, we dive into transatlantic relations and the impact these elections could have on European policy and relations with Washington.

POLITICO's Suzanne Lynch in Brussels and Ryan Heath in Washington break down the upcoming U.S. mid-term elections. They pick out the important races to watch and discuss how a shift in the balance of power in Congress could change the course of policies impacting Europe, particularly support for Ukraine. And senior trade correspondent Barbara Moens explains the current trade tensions between Brussels and Washington and how the two sides are trying to resolve these differences.

Our special guest is Max Bergmann. He's currently the director of the Europe Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington and has previously held several positions within the U.S. State Department. In conversation with POLITICO's Sarah Wheaton, they discuss how Washington views Europe's defense capabilities and how the mid-term elections could impact transatlantic relations.

Programming note: Suzanne and Ryan will be holding a Pro Briefing Call — which is exceptionally open for anyone to join — on the day after the vote. Join them on Wednesday, November 9 at 4 p.m. CET for a live exchange on what the mid-term results mean for U.S. allies and partners, in Europe and beyond. Register here.

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This week, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg discusses how the war in Ukraine has shaped the military alliance. We also dig into the EU's proposed law to protect media freedom and debate the controversy surrounding Germany's relationship with China.

Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg sits down with POLITICO's Lili Bayer at NATO headquarters in Brussels to discuss how the war in Ukraine has shaped the alliance and European defense.

Also in this episode, host Suzanne Lynch speaks to European Commissioner Věra Jourová about a new EU law aimed at guarding against media interference by governments and giving more protections to journalists. And they discuss ongoing tensions between Brussels and Warsaw over rule of law concerns in Poland.

We also debate the EU's complicated relations with China, as POLITICO's Matt Karnitschnig explains the controversy surrounding an upcoming visit in early November by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

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This week's episode comes to you from the heart of the European Quarter in Brussels, where the 27 EU leaders are meeting once again for a European Council.

Host Suzanne Lynch and our POLITICO team, Hans von der Burchard and Clea Caulcutt, unpack what's at stake during these discussions, including the latest efforts to quell rising energy costs and address supply challenges as a result of the war in Ukraine.

We'll also dive into the latest on what Europe is doing to support Ukraine militarily, financially and with Russian sanctions.

And finally, the leaders will also hold a strategic discussion on China, and POLITICO's Stuart Lau explains where relations stand between Brussels and Beijing.

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In this episode, POLITICO's Suzanne Lynch breaks down the reaction to Russia's recent escalation in Ukraine with an update from NATO headquarters. We also dive into growing concerns about irregular migration into the European Union and get an update on the global food crisis.

Vladimir Putin's recent nuclear threats and bombardment of civilian targets in Ukraine are forcing Western leaders to prepare for a grueling new phase of the war. POLITICO's Lili Bayer brings us NATO's reaction from a defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels.

Then, Suzanne and POLITICO's Jacopo Barigazzi dive into the EU’s fresh refugee flow challenges. We hear from European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas about the concerning number of irregular migrants making their way to the EU through the Western Balkans. And EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson speaks to POLITICO's Matthew Karnitschnig about the security concerns regarding Russians coming into the bloc.

And finally, we return to global food security and how the war in Ukraine is still impacting supply chains and driving up prices — adding to existing global struggles with climate change and energy problems. POLITICO's Eddy Wax sits down with Matthew Hollingworth, the World Food Programme's country director in Ukraine.

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This week's EU Confidential comes to you from Prague Castle, where leaders of the EU's 27 countries held a historic meeting with well over a dozen other nearby countries, including the United Kingdom, Turkey and Ukraine, among others.

POLITICO's Suzanne Lynch and our team on the ground, Clea Caulcutt and Hans von der Burchard, bring you highlights from this inaugural meeting of the European Political Community. They debate the future aims of this multi-national grouping and what it means for Europe. We hear directly from European leaders from France, Finland, Ireland and more.

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We discuss the implications of Italy's election last weekend and what its probable next prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, could mean for Europe. Our special guest is Stavros Lambrinidis, the EU's ambassador to the United States.

POLITICO's Suzanne Lynch and our team covering Italy's election on Sunday, Jacopo Barigazzi in Brussels and Hannah Roberts in Rome, break down all you need to know about Giorgia Meloni, leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy party and presumed next prime minister. We also dig into how Brussels and other European capitals are reacting to the election of Italy's most right-wing government since World War II.

Jacopo also shares the reaction in Brussels to the damage to the Nord Stream gas pipelines and what might be the EU's next move.

And our special guest is Stavros Lambrinidis, the EU's ambassador to the United States. He speaks to POLITICO's Lili Bayer in Washington, about Russia's war in Ukraine, Europe's energy crisis, the U.S. mid-term elections and relations between Washington and Brussels.

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Coming to you from New York City, this bumper edition of EU Confidential brings you the highlights of the U.N. General Assembly and gets reaction from European leaders on Russia's recent threat of military escalation.

POLITICO's Suzanne Lynch sits down with our team in New York covering the world's annual diplomatic jamboree. Nahal Toosi, our senior foreign affairs correspondent, breaks down U.S. President Joe Biden's speech and discusses the chances of a breakthrough on Iran this week.

U.N. Playbook co-author Ryan Heath speaks to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez about the EU's energy crisis. And we hear from our team traveling with European leaders. Clea Caulcutt, POLITICO's senior France correspondent, speaks to President Emmanuel Macron about President Vladimir Putin's move to mobilize more Russian troops to bolster his forces in Ukraine. And Esther Webber, senior U.K. correspondent, gives us a flavor of Liz Truss' first big international foray as prime minister.

Suzanne speaks exclusively to EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell about the bloc's support of Ukraine and whether we can expect a breakthrough with Iran. We also hear from Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney, Lithuania's Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis and Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský on the escalation of the war in Ukraine.

And Suzanne also catches up with Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod on his country's bid to secure a seat on the U.N. Security Council in 2025.

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Coming to you from Strasbourg, EU Confidential breaks down this week's big EU moment: the State of the Union address delivered by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. And we convene a panel of MEPs to debate which policies hit the mark, and where the speech fell short.

POLITICO's Suzanne Lynch, chief Brussels correspondent and your new host, is joined by technology reporter Clothilde Goujard in Strasbourg and energy reporter Victor Jack in Brussels to bring you the highlights from the speech and analyze what big policies were announced and which ones didn't make the cut.

Then, members of the European Parliament Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou (EPP), Katalin Cseh (Renew) and Niels Fuglsang (S&D) weigh in on von der Leyen's plan for the year ahead.

For more State of the Union analysis, you can join our Pro Briefing call on Friday, September 16 at 10:00 a.m. CET to learn from our POLITICO experts Esther King, Karl Mathiesen, America Hernandez, Pieter Haeck and Joshua Posaner.

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New host Suzanne Lynch digs into the EU's plans to address its energy crisis. And Canadian Ambassador to the EU Ailish Campbell explains how Europe is turning to her country for solutions to its energy woes and lifts the lid on sexism in European diplomacy.

POLITICO's Chief Brussels Correspondent Suzanne Lynch makes her podcast debut as the new host of EU Confidential. She's joined by Brussels Playbook author Jakob Hanke Vela, who explains the EU's emergency plans being debated this week to address soaring energy and electricity costs. And Chief Europe Correspondent Matthew Karnitschnig explains what Europe and its leaders can expect to face over the long-term.

Ailish Campbell, Canada's ambassador to the EU, sits down with Suzanne and Senior Trade Correspondent Barbara Moens to discuss how Canada could potentially help the EU with its energy troubles and lifts the lid on her viral tweet calling out sexism she's experienced in her daily diplomatic interactions in Brussels.

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Europe's #1 politics podcast returns on Thursday, September 8 with our new host, Chief Brussels Correspondent Suzanne Lynch. 

Every week, POLITICO journalists in Brussels and across the Continent give their unvarnished takes on the week’s big stories and interview the key players shaping EU policy.

Follow EU Confidential on any major podcast platform, sign up to receive our email alerts when new episodes are published every Thursday, and be sure to check out our show notes on POLITICO’s website.

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In this bumper edition before the summer break, we explain the monkeypox outbreak in Europe and the EU's response. We also preview the biggest lobbying battle brewing in Brussels between Big Tech platforms and telecom operators.

POLITICO's Samuel Stolton, who covers competition and tech policy, hosts this week's episode, which kicks off with a discussion about the spread of monkeypox in Europe. Health care reporter Helen Collis explains which countries are seeing a rise in infections, and the race to secure vaccines. Helen reveals that the European Commission is re-thinking how it buys vaccines and drugs for the bloc — thus far failing to come through with adequate monkeypox shots to fill demand.

Then we preview one of the biggest Brussels lobbying battles you can expect to witness over the coming months. Our lobbying guru Sarah Wheaton and chief technology correspondent Mark Scott set the stage for this debate between Big Tech platforms and telecoms operators over whether platforms should have to pay the telecoms industry for the infrastructure they need to build in order to compensate for the masses of data their users consume across platforms like Google, Meta, Netflix and Amazon.

Sam then hosts a lively debate between the top representatives of each side.

On the telecoms side, is Alessandro Gropelli from the European Telecommunications Network Operators' Association (ETNO), which represents the likes of Deutsche Telekom, Orange and BT. Joining his side of the debate is Jan-Niklas Steinhauer, head of policy and regulatory affairs at the German Broadband Association (BREKO).

On the Big Tech side, is Christian Borggreen from The Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) representing the likes of Apple, Google, Meta and Amazon. And he's joined by Thomas Lohninger, executive director of the digital rights NGO epicenter.works.

Programming note: We are off for a summer holiday, but we'll be back in your podcast feed on Thursday, September 8 with our new host, Suzanne Lynch, currently the co-author of POLITICO's Brussels Playbook.

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We debate what the EU and its leaders can do to counter Russian propaganda, particularly in Africa, about the global food crisis. And we tell the story of Umeå, Sweden, which has become a trailblazer in incorporating gender equality into urban design.

Aitor Hernández-Morales, author of POLITICO's Living Cities newsletter, is joined by agriculture reporter Eddy Wax to explain the recent U.N.-brokered deal struck in Turkey between Ukraine and Russia to allow for exports of millions of tons of grain through the Black Sea. Clea Calcutt in Paris breaks down French President Emmanuel Macron's trip to Africa this week, and Brussels politics reporter Ilya Gridneff addresses Russian propaganda about the EU's role in the food crisis and why the bloc is struggling to combat it.

Then POLITICO's Giovanna Coi takes us on her recent trip to Sweden to explain how the city of Umeå has become a test case for other European cities — tackling both climate change and urban equality by re-designing itself for women. The story is part of POLITICO's Living Cities series, which you can sign up for here.

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We dive into the politics of this week's hot topic — Europe's response to a devastating heat wave and how that impacts current energy troubles. We also look into a debate over crypto currencies and how they should be regulated across the EU.

POLITICO's Bjarke Smith-Meyer hosts this week's episode, which kicks off with a heated discussion on this week's devastating heat wave across Europe. Karl Mathiesen, our senior climate correspondent, explains why natural disasters like this can be expected more often and shines a light on the disparity between Europe's efforts to cope with climate change compared to other parts of the world.

Aitor Hernández-Morales, author of POLITICO's Living Cities newsletter, tells us which cities in Europe have been most effective at helping their residents deal with the heat — and why Southern Europeans feel left behind by Brussels' policies to address the issue. And Zia Weise, our reporter covering climate policy, explains how policymakers are trying to balance climate policies with the current issues Europe is facing when it comes to energy.

Then we turn our focus to crypto currencies and the EU's attempt to regulate this uncharted territory of new-age finance. We hear from Faryar Shirzad, the chief policy officer of Coinbase, which is one of the largest cryptocurrency exchange platforms. Also joining the podcast is Ernest Urtasun, a Spanish member of the European Parliament from the Greens. He weighs in on the EU's newly-passed legislation regulating cryptocurrencies, the Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation (known in Brussels as MiCA).

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Our POLITICO mobility team takes over this episode — unpacking the issues facing the travel industry this summer and what European policymakers can do to address them.

Joshua Posaner, POLITICO's senior policy reporter based in Berlin, talks to Chief Europe Correspondent Matt Karnitschnig about the EU's aim to phase out the combustion engine by 2035 and whether Germany's Finance Minister Christian Lindner can do anything to stop it. And Matt recommends this timely beach read for our listeners.

The rest of POLITICO's mobility team, Hanne Cokelaere and Mari Eccles, join Josh to explain why Europe's summer travel season has been so chaotic — and whether there's any hope for a reprieve soon.

We then speak with Wizz Air CEO József Váradi to better understand why so many flights are currently being canceled around Europe. And the team brings us a debate over staff shortages and strikes at airports with Olivier Jankovec, director general of the European Region of the Airports Council International, and Livia Spera, general secretary of European Transport Workers' Federation.

Finally, we catch up with well-known European affairs blogger and consultant Jon Worth during his 40-day train journey around the EU to discuss the state of European rail travel and what policymakers can do to improve train journeys around the Continent.

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As drama unfolds across the English Channel, we look at where things stand with the EU's migration policy and examine EU-Australian relations. We also review a revealing new documentary on Emmanuel Macron's international diplomacy efforts and explain why interpreters in the European Parliament are upset with their post-COVID working conditions.

Brussels Playbook co-author Suzanne Lynch hosts this episode, which begins with our French politics reporter Clea Caulcutt giving us the skinny on a new behind-the-scenes documentary on Macron’s diplomatic efforts to stop the war in Ukraine. Clea also explains the political calculus behind Macron's recent Cabinet reshuffle and what it means for Brussels. And POLITICO's Maïa de La Baume joins the discussion to explain the latest tangle between the EU and its all-important interpreters.

Ylva Johansson, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, joins Suzanne on the podcast to discuss the EU's migration policy — what progress has been made since unveiling its plan in September 2020 and where the sticking points remain. She also highlights the challenges for EU countries from taking in over 3 million Ukrainians fleeing war in recent months.

And we welcome a delegation of visitors from Australia to hear about the state of relations with the EU. Stuart Lau, our EU-China correspondent, sits down with Professor Rory Medcalf, head of the National Security College at the Australian National University and a thought leader on the Indo-Pacific, and Professor Duncan Lewis, an imminent military and security expert who has held senior roles in the Australian military and public service, including as former ambassador to the EU, Belgium and NATO.

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Coming to you from the NATO summit in Madrid, our POLITICO team analyzes a packed week in international diplomacy and what it means for Europe and its security. We also hear from the prime ministers of Sweden, Norway and Estonia.

Sarah Wheaton hosts this week's episode, which kicks off with a discussion with our team at the NATO summit in Madrid — Lili Bayer, David M. Herszenhorn, Paul McLeary and Hans von der Burchard. They analyze what was behind the main decisions and point to some of the uncertainties that remain. They also discuss the missed opportunities at the G7 summit in Germany earlier in the week, and how German Chancellor Olaf Scholz performed as host of his first major international gathering.

Our special guests in this episode include Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson on her country's path to joining NATO and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre on changes to his region's security situation. We also talk to Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, who shares her view on the summit's outcomes.

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Coming to you from the EU leaders' summit in the heart of Brussels, we discuss Ukraine's candidacy to join the club and the lack of progress for EU-hopefuls in the Western Balkans. We hear from Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Florence Gaub, foresight adviser to the Council of the European Union.

This week's episode, hosted by POLITICO's David M. Herszenhorn, comes to you from the European Council where the EU's 27 heads of state and government decided to designate Ukraine and Moldova as candidates for EU membership.

POLITICO's Lili Bayer, Giorgio Leali and Hans von der Burchard join David to unpack how the decision was made and where the discussion on EU accession goes from here. Giorgio also explains how French President Emmanuel Macron's gravitas around the Council table may have been diminished by his centrist alliance's disappointing showing in parliamentary elections last weekend. We also discuss how the French president's idea for a "European political community" is being received.

Then, you'll hear from Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. He spoke to POLITICO's Louise Guillot in Tirana last week — sharing his downbeat view on why Albania's prospects for starting EU membership talks have stalled.

After the break, we feature NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. He sat down with Lili Bayer on Wednesday for a POLITICO Live event, which you can watch here.

And POLITICO's Matt Karnitschnig brings us a discussion with Florence Gaub, foresight adviser to the Council of the European Union. They discuss the war in Ukraine, how long it could last and what we can expect from NATO's historic meeting next week in Madrid.

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We explore more repercussions of the war in Ukraine, explain the latest dust-up between the U.K. and the EU and unpack the patois of political panel discussions. Our special guest is retired British diplomat and author John Ramsden, who talks poets, politics and economics.

POLITICO's Andrew Gray is joined by Matthew Karnitschnig, who tells us about his recent trip to a remote strip of land along the border between Lithuania and Poland that's the focus of renewed attention due to Russia's war on Ukraine.

POLITICO's Eddy Wax catches us up on the food crisis triggered by the war, while Suzanne Lynch explains the latest tussle between the U.K. and the EU over Northern Ireland.

For some light relief on Andrew's last show as host, the podcast crew goes meta by holding a panel discussion on panel discussions — a big feature of Brussels and other political bubbles. Why are they so popular, what do people get out of them and what are the pitfalls? We play a game of "duo-panelo" to reveal the true meaning of classic panel phrases.

Our special guest John Ramsden, a former British ambassador, tells us about his new book, "The Poets' Guide to Economics," which explores the impact of poets on economic debate down the centuries.

The podcast will be back next Thursday as usual, kicking off a summer season of episodes featuring different members of the POLITICO newsroom in the host's chair.

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We break down the controversy over a plan to unlock billions of euros in EU funds for Poland and debate Angela Merkel's return to the public arena. Our special guest is Julianne Smith, the U.S. ambassador to NATO.

POLITICO's Andrew Gray and Lili Bayer unpack Ursula von der Leyen's plan to give Poland a path to coronavirus recovery funds as the European Commission president faces criticism — some of it from senior members of her own team — that she's letting Warsaw off the hook on rule-of-law standards.

And Matthew Karnitschnig joins the panel to debate Angela Merkel's decision to return to the stage — literally — after six months of silence since stepping down as German chancellor. In an extensive interview in front of an audience in a Berlin theater, Merkel addressed whether her own policies played a role in emboldening Russia to attack Ukraine.

Lili interviews our special guest Julianne Smith, the U.S. ambassador to NATO. Smith discusses how the alliance may reinforce its eastern flank in light of the war in Ukraine, Turkey's objections to Sweden and Finland's membership bids, and how NATO will likely view both Russia and China in its forthcoming strategic blueprint.

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We unpack EU leaders' deal to ban Russian oil imports — with some notable exceptions after Hungary played hardball. And author Tommaso Pavone tells the story of the lawyers who turned "ghostwriters" to make the EU a legal reality.

POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Matthew Karnitschnig, Lili Bayer and David M. Herszenhorn assess this week's EU summit, where leaders struck a late-night agreement to ban Russian oil — but only after making more concessions to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The crew also discusses what's next for the EU in terms of sanctions after the bruising battle over this package.

You'll hear what Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, French President Emmanuel Macron and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas told POLITICO about the summit — and about whether the EU’s sanctions are having an impact on Vladimir Putin.

Our special guest is Tommaso Pavone, assistant professor of law and politics at the University of Arizona and visiting researcher at the ARENA Center for European Studies at the University of Oslo. His new book, "The Ghostwriters: Lawyers and the Politics Behind the Judicial Construction of Europe," tells the fascinating story of the "Euro-lawyers" across the Continent who sought out cases and pushed them up the European legal pyramid over decades to make the EU a legal reality.

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This special edition of EU Confidential from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland drills into the question of whether the EU is really ready for a forceful response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It’s the last of our special episodes from the prestigious ­— or, some would say, notorious — gathering of power players in this Alpine resort town.

POLITICO’s Sarah Wheaton, Jamil Anderlini and Suzanne Lynch analyze German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s speech on the forum’s closing day. They also reflect on how the discussion in Davos will extend beyond this conference — and recap some less-than-classy moments at exclusive parties featuring acts like the Black Eyed Peas and The Chainsmokers.

Paul Grod, president of the Ukrainian World Congress, speaks to Sarah about how the Ukrainian diaspora is keeping up the pressure on Europe.

Then we catch up with Wellcome Trust Director Jeremy Farrar for a quick check-in on the coronavirus pandemic.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nadia Murad joins us for a conversation about her advocacy for victims of sexual violence in war and what the EU can do to support such efforts.

Finally, POLITICO's Ryan Health speaks to James Rogers, founder of Apeel, which makes edible coatings for foods, about food sustainability as we look ahead to a growing food crisis and the challenges of expanding his company's innovative solutions into Europe.

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This bumper edition of Davos Confidential includes a debate on the death of globalization, the prospects of more countries joining the European Union and an insider's take on the role of women at the World Economic Forum.

POLITICO's Sarah Wheaton, Jamil Anderlini, Ryan Heath and Suzanne Lynch debate an issue they and others have been grappling with all week: is globalization dead? Historian and professor Adam Tooze also shares his thoughts on the subject.

Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament, speaks to Suzanne about the EU's role on the global stage, Russian sanctions and the prospects of Ukraine joining the bloc. Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilița also wants her country of Moldova to join the EU and shares her thoughts on the issue. Meanwhile, Ireland's Taoiseach Micheál Martin says he's open to changing the EU treaties to potentially pave the way for other countries to join without facing some of the existing hurdles.

Journalist Anya Schiffrin, a professor at Colombia University in New York and a long-time attendee of the WEF, shares her views on the role of women in Davos and how that's changed over the years.

And Swiss Federal Chancellor Walter Thurnherr has some eye-opening observations about this year's WEF.

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We hear exclusively from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the chance of clinching a sixth package of EU sanctions, and from experts on Russia and the latest trends in the financial world.

POLITICO's Sarah Wheaton is joined by Editor in Chief Jamil Anderlini, Playbook author Suzanne Lynch and Ryan Heath, editorial director of global growth. The team discusses the Tuesday's big speeches by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and von der Leyen, who spoke to Suzanne about after the chances of EU leaders agreeing on the latest package of proposed Russian sanctions during next week's summit in Brussels.

With Russia's war in Ukraine top of mind, former Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb shares his views on the wider impact of the conflict and the prospect of Finland joining NATO. Jamil also sat down with Bill Browder to discuss his new book, "Freezing Order: A True Story of Money Laundering, Murder, and Surviving Vladimir Putin's Wrath."

There's also an interview with Karen Karniol-Tambour, co-chief investment officer for sustainability at Bridgewater Associates, about the challenges of tackling rising inflation and slowing economic growth.

And billionaire David Rubenstein, Carlyle Group co-founder and co-chairman, tells Jamil that the big topic of the moment is whether the United States is heading into a recession and shares his views on cryptocurrencies.

For more of our coverage of the World Economic Forum, check out our daily Davos Playbook. 

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This episode comes to you from the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland — featuring participants from business, government and the non-profit sectors.

POLITICO's Sarah Wheaton is joined by Jamil Anderlini, Suzanne Lynch and Ryan Heath to explain what the WEF seeks to accomplish at a time of tremendous political and economic instability. They discuss Monday's much-anticipated speech by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and question why so few G20 leaders have shown up at this year's unusual spring-edition of the forum (the WEF is historically held in January when ski jackets and crampons are a must).

Jamil brings us a conversation with Mykhailo Fedorov, vice prime minister of Ukraine and minister of digital transformation, about how technology is aiding his country's battle against Russia. And Julien Vaulpré, founding partner of PR firm Taddeo and ex-advisor to former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, shares his impressions of what the WEF is really all about.

We then hear from Richard Edelman, CEO of global communications firm Edelman, about his company's new Trust Barometer, which measures trust levels in government, businesses and the media throughout the world.

Our final guest is Oxfam International Executive Director Gabriela Bucher. She unpacks a brand new analysis on the growth of billionaires during the pandemic and the alarming trends in growing economic inequality.

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We unpack Sweden and Finland's historic bids to join NATO, provide a POLITICO half-time report on the European Commission's performance so far, and hear from Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly on relations with the EU and more.

POLITICO's Andrew Gray is joined by Correspondent Charlie Duxbury in Stockholm, Senior NATO Reporter Lili Bayer and Chief Europe Correspondent Matthew Karnitschnig, who calls in from Warsaw. The team breaks down the strategic thinking behind Finland and Sweden's big shifts on NATO, the implications for the alliance, possible reactions from Russia and Turkey's tough talk on the membership applications.

Lili brings us insight from Finland's Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Pekka Haavisto.

We also take you inside a POLITICO newsroom-wide effort to assess how the European Commission has performed at the mid-point in its five-year term. Who's been a star player? Who's been relegated to the bench? Senior Policy Reporter Joshua Posaner has some of the answers and you can read the full report here.

Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly is our special guest. On a visit to Brussels this week, she spoke with POLITICO's David M. Herszenhorn about Canada's efforts to help alleviate global food and energy problems caused by Russia's war in Ukraine and relations with the European Union. Joly also sheds light on the challenges she and others face in balancing political responsibility and personal life.

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We debate some big ideas for the future of Europe and examine the state of Franco-German ties after recently-reelected French President Emmanuel Macron's trip to Berlin. We also hear from Ukrainian officials and the EU's ambassador in Kyiv.

[2:54] POLITICO's Andrew Gray tries to sum up the results of the Conference on the Future of Europe, a year-long series of debates and discussions that culminated in a grand ceremony in Strasbourg earlier this week. Andrew is joined by POLITICO's Maïa de La Baume, who shares her impressions from attending one of the gatherings of EU citizens that fed into the conference.

[8:09] French President Emmanuel Macron used the ceremony to propose the creation of a "European political community," which could include countries outside the EU like Ukraine and the U.K. POLITICO's Hans von der Burchard tell us how this and other ideas are going down in Berlin, after Macron's visit earlier this week with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Chief Europe Correspondent Matthew Karnitschnig weighs in on the proposals for Europe's future and the politics around Ukraine's EU membership bid.

[19:43] Then POLITICO's Lili Bayer brings us voices from officials in Ukraine after her recent trip to Kyiv, including EU Ambassador to Ukraine Matti Maasikas, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko and Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Integration of Ukraine to the EU.

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We unpack the EU plan to ban Russian oil and wonder why Germany is so hung up on Ukraine's refusal to let German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visit Kyiv. Our special guest is Cambridge Professor Helen Thompson, who explores the relationship between energy and politics.

[2:10] POLITICO's Politics Editor Andrew Gray is joined by Senior Trade Correspondent Barbara Moens to discuss the European Commission's proposal for a sixth round of sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine. Barbara breaks down the faultlines within the EU over the headline measure, a ban on Russian oil imports, and looks ahead to what might be coming next on the sanctions front.

[10:57] Chief Europe Correspondent Matthew Karnitschnig weighs in on the sanctions from Vienna. He also attempts to explain why German Chancellor Olaf Scholz can't seem to get over the snubbing of Steinmeier, who was declared unwelcome in Kyiv three weeks ago. And Matt gives us insight into his latest piece, "12 Germans who got played by Putin."

[17:12] Our special guest is Helen Thompson, professor of political economy at the University of Cambridge and author of a new book, "Disorder: Hard Times in the 21st Century." In conversation with Matt, she discusses the historical reasons for Europe's dependence on Russian oil and gas — and explains why energy will continue to drive political turbulence for years to come, even if the EU can wean itself off supplies from Moscow.

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We take the long view on the success of Emmanuel Macron and the rise of Marine Le Pen, unpack an EU move that could cut funds to Hungary for failing to uphold the rule of law and dive into the impact of climate change on Spanish politics.

[1:43] POLITICO's Nicholas Vinocur, a longtime follower of French politics, joins Andrew Gray to give his take on Macron's victory in France's presidential election and the gains made by far-right leader Le Pen — and what both may mean for Europe. (Nick mentions this story from our reporters on EU hopes and fears around Macron. And you can read more French election coverage here.)

[9:12] POLITICO's Matthew Karnitschnig and Lili Bayer join the panel to reflect on the defeat of another populist right-wing European leader: Slovenia's Trump-loving Prime Minster Janez Janša. They also discuss the European Commission's unprecedented move to trigger a process that could cut EU funds to Hungary over rule-of-law breaches.

[17:50] Our Senior Climate Correspondent Karl Mathiesen takes us on a journey to Andalusia. In conversation with our Executive Producer Cristina Gonzalez, Karl explains how the far-right Vox party is using climate change to woo local farmers, changing the dynamics of Spanish politics in the process. Read Karl's full story, and explore POLITICO's new "Climate, Changed" series here.

This episode featured music by Peter Walker with Jack Rose, live dublab "sprout session," and Sunsearcher, "Flamenco Rhythm."

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In this special edition, we analyze the result of the French presidential election and its implications for France and for Europe.

The show features highlights from an election-night discussion with members of our French election crew, broadcast live on Twitter and hosted by POLITICO's Andrew Gray.

Politics Reporter Clea Calcutt gives us the big picture, Elisa Braün reports from Emmanuel Macron's victory rally in front of the Eiffel Tower and Giorgio Leali brings us reaction from the Le Pen camp. Chief Europe Correspondent Matt Karnitschnig joins us from Berlin to look at the repercussions for the EU and for transatlantic relations.

You can find all our French election coverage here, and if you prefer your French politics en français, you can get our daily Playbook Paris here.

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We review the big clash between French presidential contenders Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen. And we unpack Germany's struggle over whether to send heavy weapons to Ukraine with military expert and think tanker Gustav Gressel.

POLITICO's Andrew Gray is joined by Clea Caulcutt in Paris to analyze Wednesday night's live TV debate between Macron, the centrist incumbent, and far-right challenger Le Pen ahead of the final round of the French presidential election this Sunday. POLITICO's Matthew Karnitschnig also joins the conversation to give the broader European perspective on the race.

Matt then brings us this week's feature interview with Gustav Gressel, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations in Berlin. They discuss Germany's continued reluctance to supply Ukraine with heavy weaponry and its impact on Berlin's standing within the EU and among other Western allies.

Programming note: We'll host a live conversation on the French election on Sunday at 10 p.m. CET on Twitter. Andrew, Matt and Clea will be joined by other members of our French team to analyze the results, hear reaction from the campaign HQs and examine what the outcome means for France and for Europe.

And we'll also bring you a special election edition of EU Confidential, which will land early Monday morning in your podcast feed. So please do subscribe or follow, wherever you listen.

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We analyze the latest from the French presidential campaign and hear Slovakian Prime Minister Eduard Heger's first-hand account of his visit to Ukraine. We also delve into the problems Europe faces in weaning itself off Russian energy.

POLITICO’s Andrew Gray, Matthew Karnitschnig and Maïa de La Baume unpack the strategies of Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen as the gloves come off in round two of the French election. We also discuss Ukraine's rebuff of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier amid more German angst over arms deliveries. And we ask what Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer thought he could achieve by visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Our reporter Lili Bayer talks to Slovakian PM Heger about his visit to Ukraine with top EU officials, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. He describes his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and a harrowing visit to the town of Bucha, the scene of atrocities against Ukrainian civilians widely condemned as Russian war crimes.

We also hear from Henning Gloystein, energy director at political risk consultancy Eurasia Group. He sets out the obstacles facing the EU as it tries to move away from Russian oil and gas — and warns of the risks of energy rationing in the winter if the bloc doesn’t play its cards right.

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In this special edition, we unpack the results of the first round of the French presidential election, which saw Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen qualify for a run-off vote on April 24.

The show features highlights from an election-night discussion with members of POLITICO's French election crew, broadcast live on Twitter. French Politics Reporter Clea Calcutt explains how the result represents a transformation of the French political landscape and also analyzes the role that Russia's war in Ukraine played in the campaign.

POLITICO's Elisa Braün, Maïa de La Baume, Giorgio Leali and Louise Guillot report directly from the election-night events of Macron, Le Pen, far-right upstart Éric Zemmour and left-winger Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

And we look ahead to the all-important second round: What could make the difference between victory and defeat for Macron and Le Pen? And how will voters who backed other candidates in the first round influence the result?

You can find all our French election coverage here and sign up for our free French Election Playbook here. And if you prefer your French politics en français, you can get our daily Playbook Paris here. 

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We preview this Sunday's presidential vote in France, discuss the latest Western responses to Russia's war in Ukraine and reflect on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's reelection. Our special guest is Transparency International Ukraine's Kateryna Ryzhenko.

POLITICO's Elisa Braun in Paris joins Andrew Gray to set up the first round of the French presidential election. She explains the mood in the Macron camp, as the president tries to clinch reelection in the face of headwinds including a lackluster campaign, a strong showing by far-right leader Marine Le Pen and uproar over his government's use of consulting firms to develop policies.

POLITICO's Matthew Karnitschnig in Berlin looks at whether the West is moving closer to energy sanctions on Moscow after condemning Russian forces for war crimes over the killings of Ukrainian civilians in the town of Bucha.

And POLITICO's Lili Bayer unpacks how Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his right-wing populist Fidesz party managed to clinch such a decisive victory in last Sunday's election. Lili also explains the EU's subsequent move to trigger a procedure that could cut funds to Hungary over concerns about the rule of law in the country.

Kateryna Ryzhenko, deputy secretary-general of the Ukraine branch of anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International, tells us what she's asking EU policymakers to do to help her country — now and after the war.

Programming note: Andrew Gray will host a live taping of EU Confidential on Twitter on Sunday at 10 p.m. CET with our team in France to break down the results of the first round of the French presidential election. We will also bring you a special edition of the podcast early Monday morning, so be sure to follow or subscribe to EU Confidential on your podcast app so you never miss an episode.

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We recap Joe Biden's visit to Brussels for a series of summits focused on the war in Ukraine and get you up to speed on Hungary's election this weekend. World Food Programme boss David Beasley joins us to talk about the global food crisis.

POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Matthew Karnitschnig and Lili Bayer take stock of last week's meetings of G7, NATO and European Union leaders, all attended by the U.S. president. The team debates whether it's realistic for Europe to achieve military autonomy any time soon and asks how much substance there was behind the symbolism at the summits.

Reporting from Budapest, Lili explains the stakes in Sunday's parliamentary election in Hungary, where Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is running for another term. We hear from leading opposition candidate Péter Márki-Zay, Orbán's chief of staff Gergely Gulyás, and MEPs Klára Dobrev and Anna Donáth about the impact the war in Ukraine is having on the campaign. Opposition candidates also explain why they're not competing on a level playing field when it comes to challenging Orbán's ruling Fidesz party.

Then we hear from the executive director of the World Food Programme, David Beasley. He spoke to POLITICO's Eddy Wax about the growing world food crisis — which is being exacerbated by the war in Ukraine — and lays out the consequences that the European Union could face if its leaders don't cough up more cash to deal with rising food costs.

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We dive into the issues at the center of three Brussels summits dominated by Russia's war in Ukraine, as Joe Biden meets with leaders of NATO, the EU and the G7. Our special guest is Ukrainian novelist and thinker Andriy Kurkov.

POLITICO's Andrew Gray is joined by colleagues Matthew Karnitschnig in Berlin and Barbara Moens in Brussels to discuss some of the big questions facing leaders at the summits — such as whether to go further with sanctions on Moscow, including an import ban on Russian energy, and whether the EU should aim to become more autonomous.

Our special guest is Ukrainian author Andriy Kurkov. He spoke to POLITICO's David M. Herszenhorn from western Ukraine after being forced to leave his home in Kyiv. Kurkov says Vladimir Putin is waging a war against Ukrainian culture as well as against the country itself and sets out what he thinks the West should offer in terms of support.

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This week we examine China's role in the Ukraine crisis and unpack the latest EU efforts to bring the war to an end. We also hear how organizations like the UN Refugee Agency are supporting Ukrainian refugees.

POLITICO's Sarah Wheaton brings us up to speed on the latest news from Europe, including another round of EU sanctions and a visit to Kyiv by the prime ministers of Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic.

Sarah is joined by POLITICO's EU-China correspondent Stuart Lau who explains the role that China and its leader Xi Jinping are playing in this war — whether China will provide economic or military support to Russia or try to balance its own interests and side with Western demands.

And POLITICO's David Herszenhorn joins from Brussels to analyze how EU and European leaders are managing their wartime roles.

Our special guest is Sophie Magennis, head of the policy and legal support unit at UNHCR’s (the UN Refugee Agency) representation for EU affairs in Brussels. Magennis explains the work her orgnization is doing in Ukraine and neighboring European countries. She also discusses the EU's policy response to the needs of over three million refugees who have fled the war in recent weeks. Here's more information from UNHCR on how you can help for those in Belgium and around the world.

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In this episode, we learn how the war in Ukraine is being reported inside Russia and unpack the confusion over whether Poland will supply fighter jets to the Ukrainian government. You'll also hear from Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov and Latvian PM Krišjānis Kariņš.

Reflecting on another tumultuous week, POLITICO's Andrew Gray is joined by Moscow correspondent Eva Hartog, who recounts how Russia has changed dramatically in the space of a few weeks with repressive measures such as a fierce crackdown on independent media. She also describes the messaging coming out of the Kremlin and how it's landing with the Russian population.

Andrew is also joined by Chief Europe Correspondent Matthew Karnitschnig, who analyzes the dilemma facing the EU over calls to ban Russian energy imports and unpacks the on-again-off-again saga over whether Poland will send fighter jets to Ukraine.

Our special guest is Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov. He tells POLITICO's Lili Bayer that Bulgaria should be counted as a full supporter of NATO and EU action against Moscow despite its ties to Russia, but admits some proposed measures would be particularly hard for his country.

We also hear from Latvian Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš on what he believes is Vladimir Putin's real goal in Ukraine and beyond. Our conversation with him was recorded before the invasion began but this excerpt has stuck with us and remains quite prescient. 

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In this extended episode, we recap and reflect on the week that changed everything, for Europe and the world, after Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. We also hear from scholar Dimitar Bechev on Turkey's potential role in this crisis.

We begin with a review of the unprecedented flurry of dramatic measures taken by Europe in the past few days in response to Putin's war. Then POLITICO's Andrew Gray is joined by colleagues David M. Herszenhorn, Matthew Karnitschnig and Lili Bayer to reflect on a momentous week and examine potential repercussions yet to come.

David also gives us a personal account of his journey out of Ukraine as the war intensified and tells the story of a Ukrainian businessman risking his life to save both family members and strangers.

Our special guest is Dimitar Bechev, a lecturer at the Oxford School of Global & Area Studies and expert on Russia and Turkey. He discusses Turkey's potential role as a peacemaker between Russia and Ukraine, and unpacks the themes of his new book, "Turkey Under Erdogan: How a Country Turned from Democracy and the West."

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This episode focuses entirely on Russia's war on Ukraine. We have reporting from inside Ukraine, news of the European response and analysis of the global repercussions.

POLITICO's Andrew Gray hears from colleagues David M. Herszenhorn in Ukraine, Matthew Karnitschnig in Berlin and Lili Bayer in Brussels in a conversation broadcast live on Twitter hours after Vladimir Putin launched his massive military attack.

POLITICO editor Zoya Sheftalovich joins the podcast to share stories she's hearing from friends and family in Ukraine. Zoya also describes what it was like to handle the news that Putin had declared war on the country in which she spent her childhood.

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We hear from our reporters in Moscow and Kyiv about the continued tensions over Ukraine. Our special guest is Heather Conley, the new president of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, on transatlantic ties and relations with Russia.

POLITICO's Andrew Gray in Brussels and Matthew Karnitschnig in Berlin are joined by Eva Hartog in Moscow, who explains how Vladimir Putin's domestic messaging on Ukraine is wildly different from what we hear in the West. (You can read Eva's latest reporting on the frustrations of anti-war Russians here.) And POLITICO's Hans von der Burchard calls in from Kyiv, where Unity Day, which was supposed to rally Ukrainians around the flag in the face of Russian aggression, was more like any other day.

Heather Conley, president of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, explains to POLITICO's David M. Herszenhorn why she thinks it's time for a new relationship between the U.S. and Europe. She also gives her take on why dialogue may not be enough for the West to reconcile with Putin, and emphasizes the significance of recent joint efforts by Russia and China to limit the scope of NATO — signaling a "major restructuring of the international system."

Conley also shared two reading recommendations for our listeners. The first book sheds light on the important historical relationship between George Marshall and Dwight Eisenhower. The other reveals more about Vladimir Putin's network and the people who have helped him succeed.

And our podcast panel has some recommendations of their own. Eva endorses a book of essays by an expert on the relationship between Ukraine and Russia. Matt goes for a German TV series set in Berlin's Russian underworld. And Andrew recommends the Oscar-nominated Kenneth Branagh movie that's a homage to Northern Ireland's capital city.

In this episode, we also recommended the following articles for further reading:

"In diplomacy, Europe’s most powerful ambassador means business" by Matt Karnitschnig

"Top court clears EU to cut funds over rule-of-law concerns" by Lili Bayer

"Europe remembers its forgotten war" by David M. Herszenhorn

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Macron in Moscow, Scholz in Washington: How did the French and German leaders do in their diplomatic missions in the midst of the Ukraine crisis? We also get the European Parliament's perspective on the crisis from David McAllister, chair of the foreign affairs committee.

POLITICO's Andrew Gray and Matthew Karnitschnig unpack Chancellor Olaf Scholz's trip to Washington and debate whether he did enough to convince allies that Germany will be in lockstep with them if Russia launches a new attack on Ukraine. And POLITICO's Clea Caulcutt cuts through the noise around French President Emmanuel Macron's marathon talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Clea also shares her latest reporting on the presidential election in France, having attended a campaign rally of far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, who's aiming for a second shot at defeating Macron in a run-off vote.

David McAllister, chair of the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee, is our special guest. The German Christian Democrat shares his impressions from a recent trip to Ukraine by a delegation of MEPs. He also sets out how he thinks the EU, and its Parliament, should respond to the crisis.

McAllister kicks off our weekly round of recommendations for listeners with some sporting inspiration. Clea recommends a book chronicling Macron's presidency. Matt suggests a gritty gangster drama on Netflix. And Andrew recommends comfort viewing with a crafty BBC series that's been described as the best thing on British television and is also something of a tear-jerker.

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This week, a tale of two (very different) crises: the Partygate scandal threatening Boris Johnson and the continuing tension over Ukraine. We hear from Estonian PM Kaja Kallas on the latter. And our other guest, former European Commissioner Cecilia Malmström, talks geopolitics and trade.

POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Annabelle Dickson and Matthew Karnitschnig unpack a brutal week for Boris Johnson after a report about lockdown-busting parties in Downing Street leaves him battling for political survival. The panel also discusses the contrasting approaches of Britain and Germany on Ukraine and previews Chancellor Olaf Scholz's visit to Washington.

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas speaks to POLITICO's Ryan Heath and David M. Herszenhorn about the Ukraine crisis and gives her perspective on Vladimir Putin's real intentions.

Former EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmström shares her views on the future of big trade deals and has some sharp words of criticism when it comes to how the EU deals with China and Russia. She also recommends this hefty piece of historical fiction by a Polish Nobel Prize winner.

And the podcast crew has some recommendations of their own, this week with a sporting theme to mark the start of the Winter Olympics. Annabelle declares an interest and kicks off with a children's book with an uplifting theme, written by her husband (and fellow journalist). Matt suggests an "eye-opening" book about the history of the Olympics. And Andrew recommends another book delving into Olympic corruption, written by well-known investigative journalist Andrew Jennings, who died last month.

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We take the temperature in the Baltics amid fears of a Russian attack on Ukraine and unpack how the U.K. is handling the crisis. We also talk to conservative Polish MEP Patryk Jaki about his government's clashes with Brussels.

POLITICO's Charlie Duxbury joins the podcast panel from Latvia to report on how people in the Baltic nation are dealing with the prospects of a new war in their neighborhood.

He's joined by podcast regulars Andrew Gray and Matthew Karnitschnig to explore whether the tension over Ukraine is moving traditionally neutral Sweden and Finland closer to NATO membership.

Our U.K. political correspondent Annabelle Dickson unpacks Boris Johnson's strategy when it comes to Ukraine and how party scandals surrounding the PM may be playing into things.

Our special guest is Patryk Jaki, a conservative member of the European Parliament from Poland. Jaki spoke to POLITICO's Jan Cienski about how he got his start in politics, as well as rule-of-law concerns and Poland's approach to climate change.

Asked for viewing and reading recommendations for our listeners, Jaki picked this Karate Kid sequel on Netflix, as well as this spiritual biography of an American conservative political icon.

The podcast crew also has a few tips of their own. Matt marks a somber date in history with a film recommendation. Charlie picks a Danish crime thriller that's not for the faint-hearted. Andrew promises this Tartan Noir crime novel will keep you guessing in more ways than one. And Annabelle is wrapping up this BBC podcast on the rise of extremism in modern America.

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Roberta Metsola, the new president of the European Parliament, is our special guest. We also unpack French President Emmanuel Macron's appearance in the European Parliament and share suggestions for Angela Merkel's next job.

POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz and Matthew Karnitschnig analyze Macron's big speech and the subsequent debate with MEPs in Strasbourg, which turned into a domestic French political brawl. For a fun alternative take on Macron's speech, you can read this POLITICO piece on what the French president wouldn't say and why.

The podcast crew also discusses the latest developments in the Ukraine crisis and Macron's vision for European security. And after Angela Merkel turned down an offer to lead a U.N. advisory board on global public goods, we have other ideas for gigs that the former German chancellor might enjoy.

Our special guest is the newly-elected President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola. The Maltese MEP spoke to POLITICO's Maïa de La Baume just after the vote on Tuesday. Metsola talks about why she got into politics, how she addresses criticism of her anti-abortion views and what she hopes to achieve over the coming years. She also shares some book recommendations including this behind-the-scenes account of the Obama presidency, written by one of his long-time aides, and this audiobook on life and leadership from a renowned American statesman and four-star general.

The podcast crew also has some recommendations for your leisure time. Rym is pumped to recommend this athletic documentary series out of Texas. Matt is ready to rumble with a documentary about one of the world's greatest sporting showdowns, which was also the subject of some reporting by Andrew in a previous journalistic life. For his part, Andrew recommends this Aussie-based BBC drama series about a traveler who can't remember who he is.

Finally, as mentioned in the podcast, do be sure to check out our package on the European Parliament's mid-season report card.

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The coronavirus wave engulfing Europe and the West's standoff with Russia over Ukraine both feature in this episode. We also reflect on the legacy of European Parliament President David Sassoli, who died earlier this week.

Russian and Western officials held a series of meetings this week to address fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. Chief Brussels Correspondent David M. Herszenhorn, who's been in Geneva and at NATO headquarters this week to cover the talks, updates POLITICO's Andrew Gray on what we've learned and where things go from here.

We also reflect on the life and political legacy of David Sassoli, president of the European Parliament, who died earlier this week at the age of 65. POLITICO's European Parliament reporter Maïa de La Baume tells us how the Italian social democrat is being remembered as a person and as a politician. She also shares her own memories of covering Sassoli over the years.

Our special guest is Walter Ricciardi, professor of public health at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Rome and scientific adviser to Italy's health minister. He tells POLITICO's Sarah Wheaton what he thinks European politicians should do to get us back to some semblance of normalcy. He also describes what it's like serving as a public figure at the intersection of science and politics.

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We look at the big stories we expect to shape 2022 and suggest a few New Year’s resolutions for European politicians — and DOT Europe Director General Siada El Ramly talks EU tech policy.

POLITICO's Rym Momtaz, Matthew Karnitschnig, Sarah Wheaton and David M. Herszenhorn discuss the stories they believe will drive the European political agenda this year — including political fallout from the pandemic, presidential elections in France and escalating tensions with Russia at the Ukrainian border.

Our special guest is DOT Europe's Siada El Ramly who discusses her organization's lobbying efforts on the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), which aims to tighten oversight of online content, with POLITICO tech reporter Clothilde Goujard.

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The podcast crew, Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz, Matthew Karnitschnig and Cristina Gonzalez, present audio clips that sum up some of the big stories of the year — in a conversation recorded at a (virtual) gathering of EU Confidential listeners, who also feature in the episode.

And with Christmas approaching, we look at the role of Jesus in modern politics. POLITICO's Jacopo Barigazzi walks us through his reporting on where Christian values fit in the political landscape and why some politicians are so keen to claim them.

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As Angela Merkel bows out after 16 years, we focus this episode on Germany's new government and its chancellor, Olaf Scholz. We also debate the growing use of "Denglish" — a hybrid of German and English — among politicians.

POLITICO's Andrew Gray and Matthew Karnitschnig explore expectations for the new government, particularly on foreign policy. And we feature some highlights from a live Twitter Spaces discussion among POLITICO reporters: Florian Eder and Hans von der Burchard look at how the coalition will tackle big EU issues and reveal some key behind-the-scenes operators in the chancellery.

Then we broaden the lens to all of Europe and get the inside scoop from Senior Reporter Joshua Posaner on POLITICO's new list of the 28 most powerful people shaping Europe. You can read the full list here and watch the P28 event, which included interviews with Frans Timmermans, executive vice president for the European Green Deal at the European Commission, and with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organization.

Our special guest is German language critic Peter Littger, whose latest book on the Denglish phenomenon is "Hello in the round!" He discusses the pervasive use of this hybrid of German and English among politicians and the impact it has on society.

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This week: the Omicron variant and its impact on Europe's coronavirus response, our editor-in-chief on China's approach to Europe and Amnesty International's boss on EU emergency migration measures.

POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz and Sarah Wheaton break down Europe's response to the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus, the debate over making vaccines mandatory and the prospects for winter as cases continue to rise.

Making his podcast debut is our new Editor-in-Chief, Jamil Anderlini, who spent most of his career in Asia before making the leap to Brussels. He shares fascinating insights into China's view of Europe, the changes to the country he has seen under Xi Jinping and potential future flashpoints between Beijing and the West.

Agnès Callamard, the secretary-general of Amnesty International, is our special guest. She spoke with POLITICO's Hans von der Burchard during a trip to Brussels this week, just as the European Commission was unveiling new measures related to the arrival of refugees and migrants on the EU's border with Belarus.

Programming note: The EU Confidential crew is hosting virtual holiday drinks on Monday, December 13 at 7 p.m. CET. It's a chance to meet the people behind the podcast, ask your questions and be a part of a live taping of our end-of-year show! If you'd like to join via Zoom, email us at [email protected] for more information.

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Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg, France's Europe minister Clément Beaune and Dutch political theorist and author Luuk van Middelaar all feature in this episode. Plus, we dive into Germany's new government.

POLITICO's Matthew Karnitschnig has the details on the coalition agreement struck this week between Germany's Social Democrats, Greens and liberals. Matt also brings us an exclusive interview with Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg about his plans for Europe’s first compulsory coronavirus vaccine law.

Also this week, Rym Momtaz and Brussels Playbook co-author Jakob Hanke Vela spoke with Clément Beaune, France's secretary of state for European affairs. In the podcast, Beaune addresses how France will try to balance a presidential election in April with its presidency of the Council of the EU, which begins in January. He also responds to the latest fishing row between the U.K. and the EU. You can watch the full POLITICO Live interview here.

We hear too from Luuk van Middelaar, the Dutch political theorist and former EU official who is also the author of an acclaimed series of books on the European Union. In conversation with POLITICO's Andrew Gray, van Middelaar walks us through the ups and downs of the EU's pandemic response, as described in his new book: "Pandemonium." He also addresses the growing tensions within the EU over the rule of law and democratic norms.

And finally, back in January, we introduced you to Dutch documentary filmmaker Nadine van Loon, who was working on a film called "Notes from Brussels" — chronicling the struggles of people, particularly women, trying to thrive both personally and professionally in the so-called "EU bubble." After she appeared on the podcast, Nadine secured crowdfunding to finish the film, which will be showing at the Cinema Galeries in Brussels next month. You can find more details here.

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This week, we get the American perspective on European strategic autonomy and other issues facing the EU from Derek Chollet, the top adviser to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. We also unpack the dramatic denouement of the COP26 climate conference.

POLITICO's Senior Climate Correspondent Karl Mathiesen takes us inside the final day of the climate negotiations and the dramatic showdown over coal. In conversation with POLITICO's Chief Policy Correspondent Sarah Wheaton, Karl brings us exclusive audio from the conference and explains how a last-minute push by the world's biggest carbon emitters to "phase down" rather than "phase out" coal power put the entire agreement in jeopardy.

Then we hear from Derek Chollet, a foreign policy expert and top adviser to the U.S. secretary of state. POLITICO’s Chief Brussels Correspondent David Herszenhorn caught up with Chollet in Brussels this week. They start with a conversation on the main focus of his trip to Europe, a flare-up of tensions is Bosnia, and then tackle the migration crisis at the border of Belarus and Poland, EU enlargement and America’s thinking on European strategy autonomy.

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In this episode, we discuss Europe's coronavirus resurgence and the escalating migration crisis at the Polish border. Plus, we hear exclusively from Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen on the EU's efforts to rein in Big Tech.

As coronavirus cases soar across Europe and vaccine hesitancy lingers, POLITICO's Health Care Editor Doug Busvine and Health Care Reporter Ashleigh Furlong explain how Europe got to this point and what options officials are considering to stem the tide — especially as winter approaches.

Temperatures are also dropping at the border between Poland and Belarus, where tensions intensified this week. Thousands of migrants are trapped on the frontier between the two countries, and at least nine people have died. POLITICO's Matthew Karnitschnig speaks to Gerald Knaus, migration expert and co-founder of the European Stability Initiative, about the EU's options for diffusing the situation and finding a more permanent solution.

Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen is our special guest. She spoke to POLITICO's Chief Technology Correspondent Mark Scott during her trip to Brussels, where she also testified in the European Parliament this week. Haugen addresses the risks of being a whistleblower and why she believes the European Union is primed to take on Big Tech companies to better police harmful online content.

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The COP26 climate talks, a top European tech entrepreneur and a return to the question of whether the EU is funny all feature in this week's episode.

POLITICO's Karl Mathiesen joins Andrew Gray and the podcast panel from the press tent at COP26 in Glasgow with the latest insights into what is, and isn't, being accomplished. Also in Glasgow, POLITICO's Esther Webber gives us the lowdown on how Boris Johnson and his government are faring as the host and whether he's playing nice with Scottish leaders. And POLITICO's Matthew Karnitschnig in Berlin tells us how green the next German government could be.

Then we move on to another big event taking place in Europe this week: Web Summit in Portugal. Ahead of the global tech gathering, POLITICO's Pieter Haeck sat down with one of Europe's most successful start-up founders, John Collison. The Irish native co-founded Stripe, an online payments platform, along with his brother, Patrick, a decade ago — and the company is now valued at $95 billion. He spoke to Pieter about the EU's start-up scene, how it differs from the United States and what he thinks policymakers can do to foster a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem in Europe.

Finally, we return to a super-serious issue we tackled on the podcast earlier in the year: Is the EU funny? POLITICO's Paul Dallison tells us about the birth of a new EU institution — a monthly Brussels comedy night called The Schuman Show — that came about partly as a result of that episode of EU Confidential.

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We preview two big weekend events: the G20 summit and the start of COP26 climate talks. We also discuss liberalism and its current struggles with British author and journalist Ian Dunt.

POLITICO's David M. Herszenhorn joins Andrew Gray to lay out what G20 leaders in Rome hope to achieve on everything from COVID-19 to climate change. He also delves into who will and — maybe more interestingly — won't be attending.

Many of those leaders will make their way to Scotland to continue their conversations on climate. POLITICO's Senior Climate Correspondent Karl Mathiesen tells us what we should and shouldn't expect at the COP26 in Glasgow. (You can keep updated with every twist and turn of the conference by subscribing to our POLITICO Energy and Climate newsletter, which is usually only for our Pro subscribers but will be available for free during the two-week conference.)

Our reporter in Scotland, Andrew McDonald, gives us a taste of the troubles plaguing Glasgow — over everything from trash to trains — as it prepares to host tens of thousands of people in the coming weeks. He also explores how both the Scottish and U.K. governments plan to handle the conference — and their prickly relationship with each other.

Then we turn to special guest Ian Dunt, who talks about the past, present and future of liberalism, along with other issues raised by his latest book: "How To Be A Liberal: The Story of Freedom and the Fight for its Survival."

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We talk to Péter Márki-Zay, the man chosen by Hungarian opposition parties to take on Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Also in this episode, we have an update on the EU's rule-of-law battle and get you up to speed on talks to form a new German government.

As EU leaders gathered in Brussels to discuss everything from energy to trade, they couldn't escape another topic dominating the headlines: the recent Polish court ruling that challenged the legal bedrock of their union. POLITICO's Rym Momtaz joins Andrew Gray to explain how the ruling is being used by mainstream candidates vying to be the next French president to bash the bloc and assert France's national sovereignty.

And POLITICO's Matthew Karnitschnig brings us the latest on efforts to form a new German government by the center-left Social Democrats, the Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats.

Then we meet Péter Márki-Zay, selected by an alliance of opposition parties in Hungary to be their candidate for prime minister in a parliamentary election next spring. POLITICO's Lili Bayer caught up with Márki-Zay at a campaign rally in Budapest.

You can always send feedback or ideas directly to the podcast team at [email protected].

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On the agenda this week: The EU's plans to tackle soaring energy prices, Sebastian Kurz's resignation as Austrian chancellor and a Polish challenge to the primacy of EU law.

POLITICO's Zosia Wanat joins Andrew Gray to explain a bombshell decision by a top Polish court, which rejected the primacy of EU law over the national constitution in key areas. Zosia explains why it's a big, big deal and explores the repercussions for Warsaw and the EU. Rule-of-law reporter Lili Bayer talks through the EU's possible responses.

Zosia also reports on an effort by Poland and Hungary to get the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) to strike down a new measure that allows the EU to cut off funds to countries considered to be breaching the rule of law.

In Vienna, POLITICO's Matthew Karnitschnig speaks with independent Austrian analyst Thomas Hofer about Sebastian Kurz's resignation as chancellor amidst stunning corruption allegations. We dive into the details of the scandal, as well as its implications for Austria and Europe's conservatives.

And finally, energy prices are top of mind for Europeans struggling to pay record-high bills. POLITICO's Aitor Hernández-Morales explains the causes of the price surge and unpacks the European Commission's plan to help the bloc address the crisis.

You can send feedback or ideas directly to the podcast team at [email protected].

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This week: The EU's place in the world — and the Western Balkans' place in the EU. And we dive deep into the murky world EU lobbying.

POLITICO's David M. Herszenhorn and Lili Bayer join Andrew Gray from Slovenia, where EU leaders met for a dinner discussion about the bloc's role on the international stage and held a summit with their Western Balkan counterparts.

David talks us through what French President Emmanuel Macron told him about whether France and the United States can patch things up after a big blow-up over a scuppered submarine deal.

Lili and David also discuss the divisions within the EU over letting Western Balkan countries into the club and the region's frustrations with the bloc.

And Lili outlines a recent in-depth story she and POLITICO's Zosia Wanat published about concerns that the EU's enlargement commissioner, Olivér Várhelyi of Hungary, has been favoring Serbia’s EU bid and playing down democracy concerns, according to officials and internal documents.

Then we turn things over to our Chief Technology Correspondent Mark Scott, who brings us up to speed on his series of investigations into European politics news sites that promoted the interests of governments, companies and wealthy individuals without disclosing connections to them.

The first story looks at Brussels news outlet EU Reporter and its blend of reporting and political advocacy, where it's often been impossible for readers to tell which is which.

The second examines EU Reporter’s relationship with Huawei, the Chinese telecommunications giant.

And the most recent article examines the wider web of individuals within the Brussels Bubble who blur the lines between journalism and pushing the agendas of commercial clients.

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We dive into the aftermath of the German election and take a closer look at Olaf Scholz, the favorite to succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor. We also unpack a new push by the EU and the U.S. to agree a common rulebook on tech and trade.

Following Sunday's German election, POLITICO's Andrew Gray and Matthew Karnitschnig get you up to speed on the talks in Berlin about forming the next government. And Brussels Playbook co-author Suzanne Lynch discusses how the outcome is going down with EU policymakers, and what questions they still have about Germany post-Merkel.

Olaf Scholz is in pole position to lead the next government after his Social Democrats came first in the election. But just who is he? Our Executive Producer Cristina Gonzalez caught up with Der Spiegel journalist Christiane Hoffmann in Berlin to shed light on the politician and the person.

Also, Chief Technology Correspondent Mark Scott, author of POLITICO's weekly Digital Bridge newsletter, has the latest on Wednesday's inaugural meeting of the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council in Pittsburgh. Mark explains why the council is such a big deal and breaks down where the two sides stand on the key issues.

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In a special show from Berlin, the POLITICO team analyzes Germany's cliffhanger election, gauges the mood in the different camps, and explores how coalition talks may play out.

POLITICO's Andrew Gray brings you up to speed on the latest projected results, which show the Social Democrats have a narrow lead over the conservative CDU/CSU alliance. But it's still wide open whether the SPD's Olaf Scholz or the CDU/CSU's Armin Laschet will succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor. It will all come down to who can form a coalition, likely with the Greens and Free Democrats.

Our reporters in Berlin, including Joshua Posaner, Hans von der Burchard, Laurenz Gehrke and Annette Nöstlinger, take us inside the parties' election-night events and give us a flavor of the mood there.

And POLITICO's Matthew Karnitschnig, Florian Eder and Emily Schultheis analyze the results, exploring what they say about the direction of German politics and the implications for the European Union.

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We explore the defining moments of the German election campaign and debate the security-and-submarine deal between Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom that enraged France.

POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Matthew Karnitschnig and Emily Schultheis are in Berlin for the big one, Sunday's German general election, which will bring down the curtain on the Angela Merkel era. They're joined by our in-house polling expert Cornelius Hirsch to the tell story of a surprising campaign that's gone down to the wire: The center-left Social Democrats, with their chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz, have a narrow lead over the conservative camp and their standard-bearer Armin Laschet but it's too close to call.

Then we turn to AUKUS, the three-way pact that scuppered a multibillion-dollar French submarine deal with Australia, provoking fury in Paris and triggering transatlantic turbulence.

POLITICO's Zoya Sheftalovich joins us from Sydney to explain why Australia went from agreeing to buy French diesel-fueled submarines to holding secret talks to replace that deal with a nuclear-powered fleet. Rym Momtaz and David M. Herszenhorn talk through the diplomatic fallout from the move.

Finally, set a reminder to join us for a live Twitter audio chat on the German election results this Sunday at 10 p.m. CET. We'll be analyzing the outcome and getting a flavor of the mood among the parties.

That discussion will be the basis for a special episode of EU Confidential, which will drop into your feed early Monday morning. Be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you don't miss it.

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Ursula von der Leyen's State of the European Union address and the closing stages of the race to succeed Angela Merkel as German chancellor are our two big topics this week.

POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz and Matthew Karnitschnig bring us up to speed on the German election, which is now just over a week away. It's turning into a two-man race between Olaf Scholz, the candidate for the Social Democrats (SPD) who is now in the lead, and conservative Armin Laschet. But will talk of the SPD teaming up with more radical left-wing forces give Germans pause when considering their vote for the center-left party?

We also take an early look at next spring's French presidential election, with a number of candidates already throwing their hats into the ring.

Then we turn to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's State of the Union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday. The annual set-piece moment gives Commission chiefs the chance to tout their successes and set out priorities for the next year. How did von der Leyen's speech stack up?

POLITICO's team has the full analysis, starting with a dispatch from Strasbourg from Maïa de La Baume and Suzanne Lynch. Then David M. Herszenhorn addresses von der Leyen's remarks on Afghanistan and her push for greater European defense capabilities. Sarah Wheaton clarifies where the Commission president rightfully has bragging rights when it comes to the pandemic response and where she fell short. Paola Tamma takes stock of Europe's economic recovery efforts. And Karl Mathiesen and Clothilde Goujard take on two of von der Leyen's biggest legislative priorities: climate and digitization.

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The German election campaign's impact on EU policymakers is up for debate this week. And European Council on Foreign Relations director Mark Leonard talks about his new book, "The Age of Unpeace."

Suzanne Lynch and Jakob Hanke Vela, the new authors of our flagship Brussels Playbook newsletter, introduce themselves to our podcast audience. They join POLITICO's Andrew Gray and Rym Momtaz to discuss how the Brussels bubble is looking at the German election. And they ask why chancellor candidates Armin Laschet and Olaf Scholz took time off from the campaign trail to visit French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris this week. Be sure to subscribe to our Germany Election Playbook for daily news and analysis from the campaign.

Our special guest is Mark Leonard, founder and director of the European Council on Foreign Relations. He discusses his new book, "The Age of Unpeace: How Connectivity Causes Conflict" with our executive producer Cristina Gonzalez.

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We debate whether Afghanistan's collapse moves the needle in Europe's long-running dilemma over building up its own military power. Plus, we have a discussion on a new form of loneliness among younger generations in Europe.

There's a back-to-school vibe in Brussels, and POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz, Matthew Karnitschnig and David M. Herszenhorn break down the main topic still dominating the agenda: the turmoil in Afghanistan and the implications for Europe, particularly in terms of its military power and place in the world.

Then we hear from Diana Kinnert, an activist and politician from Germany's center-right Christian Democrats, who speaks to POLITICO's Sarah Wheaton about her book on loneliness. Kinnert, who's 30, contends there's a new type of loneliness plaguing her generation — which can have long-term impacts on public health, business and politics.

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In the wake of the withdrawal of western forces from Afghanistan, the EU is confronting renewed questions about its asylum policy. We also look at the state of the global economy, as well as Europe's coronavirus battle.

POLITICO's Matthew Karnitschnig is joined by Jacopo Barigazzi and Zosia Wanat to discuss the EU's renewed migration debate. The Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, along with Belarus intentionally sending migrants across its borders with EU countries, is forcing European officials to confront the bloc's failure to come up with a coherent migration policy.

Matt then speaks with U.S. economist Joseph Stiglitz on the sidelines of the European Forum Alpbach about the state of the global economy and how Europe's recovery efforts stack up.

Emer Cooke, executive director of the European Medicines Agency, is also a special guest in this episode. She recently spoke with POLITICO's Sarah Wheaton about Europe's coronavirus battle, vaccines and her own background.

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As the Taliban consolidate their hold over Afghanistan, we have reaction from around Europe to the U.S. decision to pull out and debate the policy implications for NATO and the transatlantic alliance.

POLITICO's Chief Europe Correspondent Matthew Karnitschnig is joined by Lili Bayer in Brussels, Annabelle Dickson in the U.K. and Saim Saeed, our regional expert, to discuss how Afghanistan's unraveling has been handled by European allies.

Matt then speaks to Ian Bremmer, president of Eurasia Group, about how this crisis came to pass — and debate the impact on NATO and Europe's relationship with the Biden administration.

Kay Bailey Hutchison, the U.S. ambassador to NATO under Donald Trump, is also a guest on the show. She spoke with POLITICO's Sarah Wheaton and David M. Herszenhorn late last week as the Taliban's rapid advance across the country was in full swing. The long-time U.S. senator discusses how she believes President Trump would have handled the situation and America's position on China and its influence on allied members.

Matt also gives us a brief update on where things stand in the final stages of campaigning as Germans gear up for their big election on September 26.

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We have all the recommendations you need for reading, listening and viewing to make the most of your summer holiday — courtesy of the POLITICO podcast crew, special guests and our listeners.

This extended episode of EU Confidential features entertaining, as well as enlightening, recommendations from POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz and Matthew Karnitschnig. Our executive producer Cristina Gonzalez brings us listener recommendations, and we also hear from some of our special guests over the past months.

Here's the full list of tips:

Reading

"Going Dark: The Secret Social Lives of Extremists" by Julia Ebner (as recommended by Rym)

(Bonus track: Julia Ebner was a guest on EU Confidential in 2018. Listen to the episode, with former host Ryan Heath, here.)

"Dark Towers: Deutsche Bank, Donald Trump, and an Epic Trail of Destruction" by David Enrich (as recommended by Matt)

"Summer Before the Dark: Stefan Zweig and Joseph Roth, Ostend 1936" by Volker Weidermann (as recommended by Andrew)

"Disenchanted Night: The Industrialization of Light in the Nineteenth Century" by Wolfgang Schivelbusch (as recommended by EU Confidential listener Jed)

"The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race" by Walter Isaacson (as recommended by Javier Solana and a listener)

"The Lonely Century: A Call to Reconnect" by Noreena Hertz (as recommended by a listener)

"What We Owe Each Other: A New Social Contract for a Better Society" by Minouche Shafik (as recommended by a listener)

"Trans-Europe Express: Tours of a Lost Continent" by Owen Hatherley (as recommended by listener Aisling)

"Soul Tourists" by Bernardine Evaristo (as recommended by listener Andrea)

"La grande illusion" by Michel Barnier (as recommended by listener Wolfgang)

"Alarums and Excursions" by Luuk Van Middelaar (as recommended by listener Murray)

"Hello World: How to be Human in the Age of the Machine" by Hannah Fry (as recommended by listener Agathi)

"The Meritocracy Trap: How America's Foundational Myth Feeds Inequality, Dismantles the Middle Class, and Devours the Elite" by Daniel Markovits (as recommended by special guest Hans Vijlbrief)

"Machiavelli: His Life and Times" by Alexander Lee (as recommended by special guest Carl Bildt)

"Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism" by Anne Applebaum (as recommended by special guest Robert Cooper)

"The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas (as also recommended by special guest Robert Cooper)

Viewing

"Gomorrah" (as recommended by Matt)

"Succession" (as recommended by Rym)

"Lupin" (as recommended by Andrew)

Listening

"Grande Traversée : François Mitterrand, un mythe français" (as recommended by Rym)

"The Rest Is History" (as recommended by Matt)

"In Our Time" (as recommended by Andrew)

"Second Captains" (as also recommended by Andrew)

"The Intelligence" (as recommended by a listener)

"WorkLife with Adam Grant" (as recommended by a listener)

"Because People Count" (as recommended and hosted by listener Andrea)

"How To Fail With Elizabeth Day" (as recommended by listener Agathi)

"Mothers of Invention" (as recommended and hosted by Mary Robinson, along with Maeve Higgins and Thimali Kodikara)

Programming note: EU Confidential will take a summer break for two weeks. We'll be back in your feed on August 19. See you then!

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The devastating floods in Western Europe are our top story this week: We hear from our reporter in the German flood zone and debate the political consequences of the catastrophe. We also discuss a big spyware scandal and Western accusations of Chinese cyberattacks. And we hear from Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya.

POLITICO's Laurenz Gehrke calls in from Hagen, Germany to describe the devastation he's witnessed in towns and villages across the flood zone and recount what he's heard from people most affected. Weighing in on the political ramifications for Germany's general election campaign is Chief Europe Correspondent Matthew Karnitschnig.

Senior France Correspondent Rym Momtaz joins Andrew Gray to discuss the reaction to reports that a mobile phone number used by French President Emmanuel Macron was selected for possible targeting with Pegasus spyware by a Moroccan intelligence service.

EU-China Correspondent Stuart Lau digs into this week's joint condemnation by the U.S., the EU, the U.K. and NATO of cyberattacks on Microsoft servers, attributed to hackers based in China.

Our special guest is Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya. Speaking to POLITICO's David M. Herszenhorn from her office in Vilnius, Lithuania, Tikhanovskaya discusses the latest round of sanctions against the Lukashenko regime and the forced landing of Ryanair Flight 4978. She also explains what the EU can do to put pressure on the Belarusian government to hold new elections this year.

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The political repercussions of Euro 2020, a massive package of European climate laws, and the first economic recovery plans approved for EU cash all feature this week.

POLITICO's Rym Momtaz joins Andrew Gray to fill us in on French President Emmanuel Macron's efforts to give people a big "nudge" to get vaccinated.

We get into the politics of Euro 2020 with POLITICO's resident sports expert Ali Walker, along with Annabelle Dickson in London and Hannah Roberts in Rome. The team looks at the aftermath of the final in Italy, where victory played into a bigger surge in the national mood, and England, where fan violence and racist online abuse have dominated the conversation.

Here's Hannah's write-up from Rome on Italy's wave of euphoria. This is Annabelle's coverage of the U.K.'s attempt to curb online abuse. And here's Ali's A-Z review of the tournament.

Then Kalina Oroschakoff, POLITICO's climate reporter, joins Andrew to break down the big news announced in Brussels this week: a mammoth package of climate laws aiming to cut carbon emissions by 55 percent by 2030. All of POLITICO's coverage of the package — known in Brussels-speak as Fit for 55 — can be found here.

Finally, POLITICO's Paola Tamma gets us up to speed on efforts to get EU funds flowing to member countries to finance their post-pandemic recoveries. Paola speaks with Hans Vijlbrief, secretary of state for finance from the Netherlands, who attended a crucial Council meeting this week in Brussels to approve the first 12 recovery plans.

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Slovenia's awkward start to its EU presidency and a look at why Russia has France fizzing over Champagne feature this week. And our special guest is former MEP Marietje Schaake on transatlantic tech regulation.

POLITICO's David M. Herszenhorn tells Andrew Gray about his recent trip to Slovenia for the start of the country's six-month stint as president of the Council of the EU and analyzes European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's terse warning for Slovenia's controversial prime minister, Janez Janša, about the importance of upholding EU values.

POLITICO's Rym Momtaz brings us up to speed on a bubbling geopolitical brouhaha between Russia and France after Vladimir Putin signed a law banning foreign sparkling wine producers from using the term "Champagne" — even those produced in France's famed, wine-growing region that gives the drink its name.

Former Dutch MEP and digital expert Marietje Schaake is our special guest. In conversation with POLITICO's Laurens Cerulus, Schaake reveals why she left the European Parliament in 2019 to move to Stanford University in Silicon Valley as the international policy director at the Cyber Policy Center. After working for years to regulate tech from within the European Union, Schaake reflects on these efforts from her new transatlantic perspective.

Laurens has more from the conversation in this week’s Digital Bridge newsletter.

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We unpack last week's extraordinary summit of EU leaders, take stock of the coronavirus situation in Europe and bring you inside the EU's "engine room." Our special guest is former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt.

POLITICO's Andrew Gray is joined by Chief Brussels Correspondent David M. Herszenhorn to unpack last week's remarkable European Council, where emotions ran high over Hungary's new anti-LGBTQ+ measures. Leaders also held a heated discussion on relations with Russia, with Eastern Europeans blasting a last-minute proposal from Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron to hold a summit with Vladimir Putin.

We also take stock of Europe's coronavirus situation with Chief Policy Correspondent Sarah Wheaton, as questions mount about the Delta variant and whether digital passes will allow for normality to resume soon.

Then we lift the lid on the most important EU body most Europeans have never heard of: Coreper. The committee of 27 EU ambassadors is credited with keeping the bloc's political machinery going while much of Europe went into lockdown. POLITICO's Jacopo Barigazzi joins the podcast to break down his article, "How ambassadors took over the EU."

Our special guest is former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt. The veteran statesman spoke to Sarah on the sidelines of the Globesec security conference in Bratislava about his current gig as the World Health Organization's special envoy for the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator, as well as Europe's relations with Russia, the situation in Belarus and EU enlargement prospects in the Balkan region.

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Hungary's anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, France's regional elections and U.K.-EU relations are all up for debate. And we hear from European Commission VP Maroš Šefčovič's on the U.K.-EU "sausage wars" and more.

POLITICO's Andrew Gray is joined by Brussels politics reporter Lili Bayer to explain why the anti-LGBTQ+ bill passed by the Hungarian parliament has the Continent in uproar — and even caused consternation in the sporting arena.

Rym Momtaz in Paris has analysis of regional and local elections in France, which could signal trouble for President Emmanuel Macron and his party ahead of next spring's presidential poll. And our U.K. colleague Annabelle Dickson joins the panel to mark five years since the Brexit vote and break down the key battles still playing out between the U.K. and the EU.

Our special guest is Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič. The Slovakian diplomat is currently responsible for interinstitutional relations and foresight — and has a key role for the EU in navigating the U.K.'s withdrawal from the bloc. On the sidelines of the Globesec conference in his hometown of Bratislava, he talks to POLITICO's Joshua Posaner about being dubbed "the sausage king" by his U.K. counterpart, his personal connection to the U.K. and what he's hoping for as negotiations drag on.

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We take stock of Joe Biden's visit to Europe and what it means for EU allies. And our special guest is European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, discussing the uphill battle for gender equality in finance.

Kicking off our special 4th birthday edition, POLITICO's Andrew Gray and Rym Momtaz welcome Ryan Heath — the original host of EU Confidential — to the podcast panel. Rym gives us the inside scoop on her coverage of the G7 and NATO summits, while Ryan has the perspective from Washington on those gatherings, as well as the EU-U.S. summit that took place in Brussels this week.

Then David M. Herszenhorn, POLITICO's chief Brussels correspondent, joins Andrew from the Geneva airport to break down the much-anticipated meeting between Biden and Vladimir Putin. (Check out our coverage of Biden's visit to Europe here.)

In our feature interview, ECB President Lagarde talks to POLITICO's Johanna Treeck and Florian Eder about encouraging gender equality at the bank and across the world of finance. (You can read more coverage of that exclusive interview here.)

And to celebrate EU Confidential's 4th birthday, our Executive Producer Cristina Gonzalez will be taking over the POLITICO Europe Twitter account (@POLITICOEurope) on Friday, June 18. It's your chance to ask any questions about our audio offerings and reminisce about some of our favorite — and most controversial — episodes.

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Joe Biden's trip to Europe, an interview with Germany's transatlantic coordinator, the European Parliament's strange return to Strasbourg, and a brewing Brussels brouhaha over the French language all feature in this episode.

As Biden makes his first overseas presidential trip for a series of summits — with the G7, NATO, the EU and Vladimir Putin — POLITICO's Andrew Gray gets a preview from colleagues Rym Momtaz, David M. Herszenhorn and Anna Isaac, who are all headed to Cornwall for the first of those powwows.

Peter Beyer, the German government's transatlantic point man, talks to POLITICO's Matthew Karnitschnig about what's changed now that Donald Trump no longer occupies the White House, how the West's approach to China is evolving and how the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline impacts relations with Washington.

Meanwhile, a debate is heating up in Brussels over plans by Paris to use only French when conducting business during its upcoming presidency of the Council of the EU, starting in January 2022. POLITICO's Maïa de La Baume has the inside scoop on that, and on the European Parliament's strange return to Strasbourg after more than a year of pandemic-enforced absence.

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Claims that Denmark helped the U.S. spy on European leaders, demands for the EU to step up on defense and bellwether state elections in Germany's Saxony-Anhalt all feature in this episode. Mary Robinson is our special guest.

POLITICO's Rym Momtaz and David M. Herszenhorn analyze new revelations by Danish media that the country's intelligence service reportedly helped the NSA spy on European leaders during the Obama administration, and how the news could impact U.S. President Joe Biden's visit to Europe later next week. They also debate the implications of this report by the Center for American Progress, a Washington think tank with close ties to the Biden administration, calling for the EU to become a global military power.

Rym is then joined by POLITICO's Laurenz Gehrke to break down state elections this Sunday in Germany's Saxony-Anhalt, and what the result could indicate about the way the political winds are blowing heading into the country's federal elections in September.

We're also joined by Mary Robinson, the former president of Ireland and currently chair of The Elders, a group of distinguished figures formed by South Africa's former President Nelson Mandela in 2007. In a conversation with POLITICO's Sarah Wheaton, they cover everything from coronavirus vaccines and climate change, to the geopolitical "rift" between the United States and China, and where Europe should fit in. Finally, Robinson recommends her own podcast — which she hosts, along with comedian-writer, Maeve Higgins, and series producer, Thimali Kodikara — to our listeners, Mothers of Invention.

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The Belarus airliner drama and EU leaders' response, as well as a big bunfight over farm subsidies, are up for debate this week. And longtime EU diplomat Robert Cooper talks about his new book "The Ambassadors."

POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz, David M. Herszenhorn and Jan Cienski analyze the repercussions of what has been branded a state-sponsored hijack — Belarus forcing a Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius to land in Minsk, where an opposition activist and his partner were detained. The team also asks: Did EU leaders step up to the challenge?

POLITICO's Eddy Wax sheds light on a big Brussels battle coming to a head this week: the fight over the EU's Common Agricultural Policy. With billions of euros at stake, Eddy has the inside scoop on how the reforms are taking shape, and who's trying to influence them. Read more here.

Robert Cooper — a former British diplomat who played a key role in building up the EU's foreign policy apparatus — is our special guest to discuss his new book, "The Ambassadors: Thinking about Diplomacy from Machiavelli to Modern Times." He has a frank assessment of EU foreign policy today when it comes to China — he's not a fan of "pinprick" sanctions over human rights abuses. He also has some recommended reading for listeners, including a book on democracy under threat and some lighter fare, which he enjoys en français.

The podcast panel also has a few recommended reads. Jan's tip is a profound book about how life on Earth arose. Rym's recommendation may have you rethinking how you view relationships. And David previews this tome by a recently-retired NATO bigwig.

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European attitudes toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the foreign policy of Germany's conservative candidate for chancellor, and a chat with former EU High Representative Javier Solana all feature in this week's episode.

POLITICO's Rym Momtaz, David M. Herszenhorn and Andrew Gray unpack the divisions within the EU over the upsurge in violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They also explore whether Europe would have much of a role to play in efforts to resolve the conflict, even if it could speak with one voice.

Armin Laschet, Angela Merkel's would-be successor, set out his foreign policy vision in a big speech this week. POLITICO's Matthew Karnitschnig sums up the key points and looks at the main dividing lines between Laschet and the Greens, the conservatives' biggest rivals in the polls.

Javier Solana has quite the political CV — former Spanish foreign minister, NATO secretary-general and EU foreign policy chief. These days he's still very plugged into international affairs, as president of the Spanish-based Center for Global Economy and Geopolitics (EsadeGeo). He spoke to Andrew about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, his disagreement with his old friend Joe Biden on China, and the future of European defense. He also had a book recommendation for EU Confidential listeners.

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European leaders' cool reaction to a U.S. proposal to waive patents for coronavirus vaccines is up for debate this week. We also discuss big issues facing Facebook with the company's public affairs chief Nick Clegg, and get an alternative take on those hot topics from a media executive.

The surprise U.S. proposal to waive intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines became the talk of an EU summit in Porto. POLITICO's Rym Momtaz takes us behind the scenes and breaks down Emmanuel Macron's emotional response. POLITICO's Andrew Gray and Matthew Karnitschnig join Rym to analyze the reasons behind Joe Biden's move and why it's put EU leaders on the back foot.

Then we hear from Nick Clegg, the former deputy prime minister in the U.K. who is now vice president for global affairs and communications at Facebook. POLITICO's Nicholas Vinocur talks to Clegg about the Facebook Oversight Board's decision to back Donald Trump's suspension from the platform, the data scrape that grabbed the information of roughly 500 million Facebook users, changes to the platform's news algorithm and the impact of Apple's new iPhone privacy settings.

Then we hear from Guillaume de Posch, president of the Association of Commercial Television in Europe, who makes the case for regulating Facebook and other tech platforms more like publishers and broadcasters when it comes to political speech.

The podcast panel returns with recommendations for reading, watching and listening. Matt's tip is a new documentary on the fate of a Saudi dissident. Rym recommends a new book on the political intricacies of Lebanon. Andrew says a colorful tale about allegations of Russian spying in the United States is well worth adding to your podcast feed.

And we have one final recommendation: If you want to dive deep into Germany's general election campaign, we have a shiny new web hub just for you.

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Is media freedom in Europe under threat? Is the Continent ready to open up as the coronavirus abates? And how much of a social union should the EU be? We tackle all of these questions in this week's episode.

In the week of World Press Freedom Day, POLITICO's Lili Bayer lays out the EU countries that give cause for concern, according to Reporters Without Borders. Matthew Karnitschnig explains how the government exerts influence over the media in a Western European country not usually seen as a press freedom blackspot. Lili and Matt, along with POLITICO's Andrew Gray, also discuss how seriously EU leaders take this issue and whether there's anything Brussels can do to protect media freedom around the bloc.

Then it's time to talk travel with our mobility reporter Mari Eccles — with details about the European Commission's proposal to open up the EU to travelers from outside the bloc who have been vaccinated or come from countries on an expanded "green list" of approved nations.

And finally, we preview the EU's Social Summit in Porto this weekend. Piotr Sadowski and Heather Roy from Social Platform — an alliance of European NGO networks advocating for social justice — explain what they want leaders to do to help protect the most vulnerable in society.

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Recovery fund masterplans, a power struggle among EU presidents and a deep dive into next week's Scottish Parliament election all feature in this episode.

Seeking approval for their share of the EU's €750 billion pandemic recovery package, governments are presenting spending and reform plans to the European Commission this week. POLITICO's Paola Tamma lays out the political battles that lie ahead.

POLITICO's David Herszenhorn, Rym Momtaz and Andrew Gray discuss the inside scoop on lingering tensions between European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Council President Charles Michel. They also debate von der Leyen's declaration in the European Parliament this week that the recent Sofagate scandal happened because she's a woman.

Then we take a deep dive into Scottish politics, ahead of the parliamentary election on May 6. Andrew takes us to his hometown of Lanark, where SNP candidate Màiri McAllan and former Labour candidate Andrew Hilland discuss the huge political shift that's taken place there and across Scotland in recent years. We also hear from Kirsty Hughes, founder and director of the Scottish Centre on European Relations, about what would happen if an independent Scotland applied to join the EU.

There's more on Scotland and the rise of the independence movement in the new episode of our Westminster Insider podcast, out early Friday morning.

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The candidates vying to be Germany's next chancellor, Europe's Super League football flop and battles over people's personal data all feature in this week's episode.

A resurgent Green party in Germany chose Annalena Baerbock as their candidate to succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor. POLITICO's Matthew Karnitschnig has everything you need to know about her, and the conservative coalition's decision to finally pick CDU leader Armin Laschet as its standard-bearer, after more than a week of bitter public feuding.

On the not-so-Super League, POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz, Ali Walker and Simon Van Dorpe discuss the fierce popular and political backlash against the project, which soon fell apart. They look at some of the big questions about sports, power and politics raised by the controversy.

And finally, recent data leaks from social media platforms Facebook, LinkedIn and Clubhouse collectively revealed the information of around a billion users. But the platforms have played down the revelations. Here's Facebook's response, insisting its systems were not hacked. Data regulators around Europe, however, are not so sure everything is shipshape and have launched investigations.

What does the controversy say about Europe's efforts to protect its citizens' personal information and the EU's flagship General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)? POLITICO's Vincent Manancourt explains.

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POLITICO's Matthew Karnitschnig has been following this week's dramatic battle to become the conservative nominee to replace German Chancellor Angela Merkel in September's general election. Regardless of whether CDU leader Armin Laschet or CSU boss Markus Söder ultimately prevails, how much damage has the open warfare done to their chances at the polls?

We explore why alarm bells are ringing over Ukraine once again, as Russia ramps up its military presence nearby. POLITICO correspondent Dan Peleschuk gives Andrew Gray a sense of the mood in Kyiv, while the U.S. secretaries of State and Defense voiced their concerns in Brussels this week. And Rym Momtaz explains why tensions over Iran's nuclear program have skyrocketed once again.

Finally, POLITICO's Eline Schaart introduces us to French MEP Catherine Chabaud. Her journey to the European Parliament began with a personal voyage three decades ago, when she became the first woman to sail solo around the world. Along the way, she discovered something that she's now working as a European lawmaker to tackle: the waste threatening our oceans and the creatures that live in them.

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The big preoccupation for the Brussels bubble this week was a trip to Ankara by European Council President Charles Michel and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Michel took a chair next to Turkish Recep Tayyip Erdoğan while von der Leyen had to make do with a nearby sofa. POLITICO's Andrew Gray and Lili Bayer break down why "Sofagate" became a symbol for hot-button issues, including women's rights as well as tensions between EU institutions and their leaders.

Andrew and Lili, a former Budapest correspondent, are joined by Jan Cienski in Warsaw and Siegfried Mortkowitz in Prague to discuss why Central and Eastern Europe is struggling so badly with the coronavirus right now, despite having managed well in the first wave last year.

Our special guest is Ivan Krastev. The Bulgarian political scientist is a well-known thinker on European politics and spoke to Andrew from Sofia, where he is chair of the Centre for Liberal Strategies, about the coronavirus' impact on the EU, Europe's relationship with China and the rise of illiberalism — the subject of Krastev's most recent book, The Light that Failed, co-authored with Stephen Holmes.

Finally, we hope you'll take some time to listen to our special edition of EU Confidential, reflecting on the life and career of Stephen Brown, the POLITICO Europe editor in chief who died of a heart attack last month at the age of 57.

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This special edition of the EU Confidential podcast reflects on the life and career of Stephen Brown, the POLITICO Europe editor in chief who died of a heart attack last month at the age of 57.

Brown pursued an outstanding career as a foreign correspondent that took him from the tip of South America to the Arctic Circle. He then took a leap of faith to enjoy an extraordinary second act as he flourished like never before, helping to change the face of European journalism.

But Brown was never self-important or pompous, and his self-deprecation and dry humor shine through in his own words and in the memories of friends and colleagues.

The program offers a chance for POLITICO readers and EU Confidential listeners to learn more about the man who drove so much of the publication's journalism.

POLITICO's EU editor, Andrew Gray, presents this audio appreciation. It features contributions from people who worked with Brown from Buenos Aires to Brussels and the voice of Brown himself, from public appearances and interviews over the years.

Contributors include Juan Bustamante, Reuters video journalist in Buenos Aires; Paul Taylor, former European affairs editor at Reuters and now POLITICO columnist; Matthew Kaminski, editor in chief of POLITICO in the United States; and POLITICO Europe's Hans von der Burchard, Saim Saeed, Lili Bayer, Zoya Sheftalovich, Sarah Wheaton, James Randerson and Eddy Wax.

The program was made by Cristina Gonzalez and Andrew Gray. It features music by Craig Winneker and Bjarke Smith-Meyer. Special thanks to Natasha Bernard, Camille Gijs, Eddy Wax and the Careers Service of the University of Cambridge.

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POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz, Matthew Karnitschnig and Stuart Lau get you up to speed on recent rows between China and the European Union — alongside the United States and others — after the EU imposed sanctions on Chinese officials accused of running internment camps for hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs in the region of Xinjiang. Beijing hit back hard, with sanctions of its own on high-level EU officials, members of the European Parliament and others. Is Europe set to team up with the United States in taking a harder line against China? And what will be the consequences if it does?

Then we boldly go where EU Confidential has never gone before: into space, through conversations with European astronauts Thomas Pesquet and Samantha Cristoforetti. They give POLITICO's Joshua Posaner a flavor of what life is like in the International Space Station and how they're preparing for upcoming missions. We also shed light on Europe's capabilities in space and reveal what the European Space Agency sees as the right stuff in its search for new astronauts.

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POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz, Matthew Karnitschnig and Jakob Hanke Vela break down the Commission plan to give the EU more powers to stop vaccine exports — and point out a loophole that means even seized jabs may not end up in European arms. Matt brings us up to speed on spiraling mask procurement scandals and Merkel's plea for forgiveness over a botched Easter lockdown plan.

Rym speaks to Save the Children's Sonia Khush, country director for Syria, about the needs of children 10 years into the conflict — and what the EU and European governments can do at an upcoming conference to help.

The team also pays tribute to Stephen Brown, POLITICO Europe's editor in chief, who died last week of a heart attack. As well as being a great friend, journalist and boss, Stephen was a devoted listener to the podcast. We'll look back on his extraordinary life and career in a special edition in the coming days.

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As the European Commission proposes a digital certificate to allow for safe travel around the EU in the corona era, we debate how much that matters if enough Europeans aren't vaccinated. POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz, Matthew Karnitschnig and Annabelle Dickson discuss whether politics or science are behind recent decisions to suspend the AstraZeneca vaccine. They also look at the EU's threat to put the brakes on vaccine exports to countries such as the U.K. that Brussels says aren't playing fair when it comes to sharing jabs.

Matt gives his take on last weekend's regional elections in Germany — and why they suggest Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats may struggle to hold onto power in Berlin as she leaves the stage.

POLITICO's Eline Schaart breaks down the results of the parliamentary election in the Netherlands and what they mean for the country's approach to the EU.

And Mark Scott, POLITICO's chief technology correspondent and author of The Digital Bridge newsletter, explores the world of COVID-19 disinformation and why Big Tech platforms and lawmakers are struggling to combat it.

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Our Trans-Germany Express stops first in Stuttgart to speak with POLITICO's Laurenz Gehrke about Sunday's regional elections. Then we head to Düsseldorf, where Matthew Karnitschnig picks out national candidates and parties to keep your eye on. In Magdeburg, capital of the state of Saxony-Anhalt, we talk to climate reporter Kalina Oroschakoff about some of the big campaign issues. Matt returns to Berlin, where we discuss what to expect on the big day — September 26 — and afterward as a new government is formed. Finally, in Brussels, politics reporter Hans von der Burchard assesses the election's potential impact on the EU.

The last part of the podcast turns the spotlight on the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) — an EU institution that's not so well known but has generated more than its share of controversy lately. New EESC President Christa Schweng talks to Hans about the criticism leveled at her institution — over its relevance, its cost and its policy of paying allowances for attending virtual meetings. Schweng explains why she thinks EESC still has a useful role to play in EU lawmaking. She also talks about the organization's new code of conduct, adopted after one of its senior members was accused of (and denied) psychological harassment.

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POLITICO's Sarah Wheaton joins podcast regulars Andrew Gray and Rym Momtaz to discuss the implications of an increasing number of EU countries shopping outside the bloc for their vaccines. Where's the solidarity when some are turning to Russia or China even though those jabs haven't been approved by European health authorities?

We also break down the European Commission's proposal to create Digital Green Passes, which could make it easier for vaccinated Europeans to travel abroad. The panel looks at the challenges of creating these and other types of immunity certificates, which are being considered by countries around the globe.

Then we turn our focus to China and its economic relationship with Europe. POLITICO's EU-China Correspondent Stuart Lau dives into the details of the EU's recent investment agreement with Beijng, and brings us one perspective on economic relations from an Italian academic and former government minister, Michele Geraci. Be sure to subscribe to Stuart's brand new, weekly newsletter, China Direct. You can read the first edition here.

The podcast panel returns with recommendations to get you through lockdown, starting with a foodie-focused Twitter account recommended by Sarah. Rym is feeling nostalgic after listening to a podcast featuring a classic French crooner. Andrew gets in just before the final whistle with a Netflix documentary about a footballing great that also tackles politics.

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EU foreign ministers this week gave the go-ahead for sanctions on Russian officials in response to the jailing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. POLITICO's David M. Herszenhorn, Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz and Matthew Karnitschnig debate whether this will have any impact on Vladimir Putin.

Citing concerns about new strains of the coronavirus, multiple EU countries including Germany have imposed border restrictions, leading to big bottlenecks and tailbacks. Will Brussels get them to back down? And how much is domestic politics driving the new measures?

Our special guest is Marko Modiano, a professor of English at Gävle University in Sweden. He makes the case for the EU to define and embrace its own form of English — Euro English. We also hear from a former senior translator at the European Court of Auditors, Jeremy Gardner, who takes a different view on how English should be used in the EU and its institutions. And what about the chances of a French comeback? (Voici un spoiler: They're not good.)

The podcast panel returns with lockdown recommendations. Rym's attention has been captured by a fledgling superstar podcast. In keeping with this week's language theme, Matt suggests a classic documentary series from the U.S. And Andrew takes up a recommendation from a listener, who says this Brussels-based novel is a must-read.

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We discuss Italy's new prime minister, Mario Draghi, and explore how he will operate at home and on the European stage. Plus, we debate whether the EU is funny, with a talented comedic cast.

POLITICO's Jacopo Barigazzi gives us the inside scoop on Draghi, the former European Central Bank president. Jacopo joins podcast regulars Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz Matthew Karnitschnig to break down the challenges facing this new government, and to discuss how Draghi will influence EU power dynamics — particularly through his relationships with Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron.

In these super-serious times, humor is all the more important. Granted, the EU may not seem an obvious source of hilarity — but it actually has a thriving comedy scene. We brought in Berlaymonster blogger Duncan Lumsden, Brussels-based improv performer Kelly Agathos — creator of The Brexit Rap — and POLITICO's Paul Dallison to discuss how and why the EU is funny.

The podcast crew returns with a couple of recommendations for lockdown entertainment. Rym says this pop-star documentary is a must-watch and Andrew recommends a classic romantic thriller.

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We debate EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell's controversial trip to Moscow and hear from the foreign minister of a country that knows first-hand about Russian influence, Lithuania's Gabrielius Landsbergis.

Borrell is under fire for standing by as Russian's foreign minister called the EU an “unreliable partner.” POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz and Matthew Karnitschnig debate how damaging the trip was for Borrell's reputation, as well as the EU's credibility when it comes to foreign affairs. And is anyone buying Borrell's defense that he was just doing his job?

And the author of POLITICO's new Playbook Paris, Pauline de Saint Remy, joins the panel to give us a primer on who might stop Emmanuel Macron winning a second term next year. Do subscribe to Pauline's Playbook, if you haven't already, s’il vous plaît.

Our special guest is Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis. While he's only been in the job since December, his life has been steeped in politics as the grandson of his country's first post-Soviet head of state, Vytautas Landsbergis. He's also a former member of the European Parliament. Landsbergis ventured into some of the hottest international topics with our own Rym Momtaz, including relations with Russia, China and the United States, as well as vaccine geopolitics.

The panel returns at the end of the podcast with recommendations to keep you occupied during whatever form of lockdown you may be experiencing. Rym flags this book, which is very much in keeping with the geopolitical theme of this episode. Matt offers up a documentary about the making of a WWII film classic. And Andrew says this multi-part documentary podcast about the disinformation war around the White Helmets rescue organization in Syria is well worth your time.

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POLITICO trade reporter Jakob Hanke Vela talks us through how the Commission's export control scheme became more controversial as it evolved, culminating in a plan to override part of the Brexit deal meant to preserve peace on the island of Ireland. The Commission was swiftly forced to drop that element after uproar in Dublin, Belfast, London and Brussels.

Jakob is joined by podcast regulars Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz and Matthew Karnitschnig to debate the impact of the debacle on Ursula von der Leyen's standing and on the EU's reputation.

We hear directly from von der Leyen on the episode, speaking at a roundtable with POLITICO's David M. Herszenhorn and other reporters.

Our special guest is virologist Steven Van Gucht, spokesperson for Belgium's COVID-19 crisis center, which advises the federal government. In conversation with POLITICO's Sarah Wheaton, he lays out Belgium's timeline for vaccination, reveals his biggest fears about the virus ... and addresses the all-important question of when haircuts might be allowed again.

Just one recommendation to help you through lockdown this week: our new POLITICO podcast, Westminster Insider, hosted by Jack Blanchard. We're also keen to hear your tips — drop us a line at [email protected]!

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POLITICO's Chief Policy Correspondent Sarah Wheaton joins Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz and Matthew Karnitschnig to talk through an in-depth story she co-authored with health reporter Jillian Deutsch on the EU's race to procure coronavirus vaccines.

The news that the EU won't be receiving nearly as many doses as expected in the early months of this year has triggered a furious blame game between Brussels, EU capitals and drugmaker AstraZeneca. As Sarah explains, much of the debate revolves around whether the EU's insistence on solidarity — negotiating with pharmaceutical companies on behalf of all 27 countries — ultimately hindered its ability to secure vaccines quickly enough.

Our special guest is filmmaker Nadine van Loon. We explore the themes in her forthcoming documentary, "Notes from Brussels," which follows the lives of three women working in the EU quarter. Van Loon's personal story — having previously worked in the Brussels bubble but now observing it from the outside — gives her a valuable double-perspective on what it takes to thrive personally and professionally in what can feel like an all-consuming environment.

The podcast panel returns with recommendations to help you get through lockdown. Andrew kicks off with a French Netflix thriller. Rym offers up an EU documentary where you'll also see some familiar POLITICO faces. Sarah longs for the days of in-person theater but promises this virtual comedic endeavor to be worthwhile in the meantime. And Matt recommends this thought-proving film, in keeping with this week's remembrance of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp.

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Joe Biden's inauguration may have been happening in America, but the eyes of Europe and the world were watching. POLITICO's Rym Momtaz, Matthew Karnitschnig and David M. Herszenhorn discuss European reaction to the transition and debate the issues that will define this new chapter in transatlantic relations. Matt also has an update on the outcome of the race to lead Germany's governing Christian Democratic Union, and explains why Armin Laschet's foreign policy positions could spell trouble for his chances to be the next chancellor.

Our special guest is Daniel Benjamin, president of the American Academy in Berlin. As a former U.S. ambassador-at-large and foreign policy expert, with experience in government dating back to the 1990s, he spoke with Matt about what Europe can expect from Biden and his team — and why it would be "regrettable" for anyone to dismiss the U.S. out of fear that a Trump-like figure (or Trump himself) could return to the White House.

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POLITICO's Andrew Gray and Matthew Karnitschnig set up the biggest political event in Europe this week — the election of the next leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Matt goes up against the clock to deliver potted profiles of all three candidates. He also predicts a surprise winner and explains how the contest fits into the race to succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor.

POLITICO's Technology Editor Nick Vinocur joins the panel, along with Rym Momtaz, to debate the repercussions of the social media bans imposed on Donald Trump. How has Europe reacted to these moves by the companies they are seeking to further regulate?

Our special guest is British author Simon Anholt, who's spent the past two decades advising governments on how to better engage with the international community. He breaks down his latest book, "The Good Country Equation: How We Can Repair the World in One Generation."

The panel returns with recommendations to keep you entertained during these winter months as lockdowns persist. Rym urges listeners (especially those in America) to revisit some mainstream media classics to fill your reading, watching and listening diet in this time of "alternative facts." Nick is hooked on a deep-dive health podcast, delving into medical issues that are top of mind for many at the moment. Fans of "The Wire" may enjoy this not-safe-for-the-family TV recommendation from Matt. And Andrew picks a long-running radio classic, which has politicians, sports stars, actors and others dusting off their record collections and preparing to be cast away.

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We look back on the big news of the holiday period and forward to the stories we expect to shape 2021 in another bumper podcast panel edition of EU Confidential.

POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz, Matt Karnitschnig, Sarah Wheaton and Charlie Cooper discuss an unusually newsy Christmas and New Year, including Europe's coronavirus vaccination travails, the trade deal between the EU and the U.K., and an investment pact between Brussels and Beijing that hasn't gone down well in Washington.

Then it's onto the year ahead. Among the questions we try to answer:

Who will take over from Angela Merkel as German chancellor? Armin Laschet, Friedrich Merz and Norbert Röttgen are running to lead her party — but could Bavarian premier Markus Söder or Health Minister Jens Spahn end up running the government?

Does Emmanuel Macron have a shot at succeeding Merkel as Europe's pre-eminent leader?

How will Brexit Britain fare as it moves to the center of the international stage, hosting a G7 summit and the COP26 climate conference?

Where will the Biden administration find common ground with the EU and the U.K. — and where might they differ?

We also have a few suggested New Year's resolutions for some European politicians.

Finally, we invite you to check out a brand new POLITICO podcast — Westminster Insider, hosted by U.K. Political Editor Jack Blanchard. In the pilot episode out on Friday, Jack explores how Western leaders struggling with the coronavirus pandemic are repeating the same old mistakes politicians have made for centuries.

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It's a bumper end-of-year review edition! But don't worry if 2020 is the year you're already trying to forget — we want to reflect on key moments and themes, rather than relive the trauma.

POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz and Matt Karnitschnig take stock of the year that just wouldn't stop, while producer Cristina Gonzalez weaves in audio from the past 12 months that reflects the wild ride we've all been on.

We start by rewinding to our first episode of 2020. How did our predictions hold up? For a year that held one huge nasty surprise, actually not too badly. In some cases, our words of wisdom proved more prescient than we could ever have imagined.

Then we're off on a journey that takes in the EU's wobbly initial response to the coronavirus, its historic recovery fund, the continuing clash over core values and how Europe has fared in the wider world.

We end with recommendations for the holiday season, which give us the chance to pay tribute to John Le Carré. Matt selects the author's memoir while Andrew recommends audiobooks read by Le Carré himself and classic BBC TV adaptations. (Even in 2020, they may make you feel a little more Smiley.) Rym suggests getting away from screens with a graphic novel or two.