We turn the spotlight on World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the man at the center of a global public health crisis and a geopolitical storm. POLITICO's Sarah Wheaton talks about her recent profile of Tedros and the challenges he faces over COVID-19, written together with colleague Simon Marks, who is based in the WHO leader's home country of Ethiopia. Read their article here: https://www.politico.eu/article/coronavirus-tedros-who-doctor-making-donald-trump-queasy/ We als...
May 11, 2020•29 min•Ep. 178
What standards should we expect from politicians, professors and public health experts as they guide us through this crisis? And where does science end and politics begin? POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Matthew Kartnischnig, Rym Momtaz and Kate Day debate those questions and other coronavirus quandaries. And the brand new head of the British Chamber of Commerce to the EU and Belgium, Daniel Dalton, talks about what his members want from negotiations between the U.K. and EU as a crunch point looms. The ...
May 07, 2020•31 min•Ep. 177
Pledges of billions of euros to fight the coronavirus rolled into a conference hosted by the European Commission on Monday — but how much of that money is new and where will it go? POLITICO healthcare reporter Jillian Deutsch breaks down the results of the virtual gathering. We discuss why Thomas Hobbes is seen as the philosophical father of lockdowns with POLITICO's senior policy editor and resident philosopher, Christian Oliver. And Elke Van den Brandt, the transport minister of the Brussels r...
May 04, 2020•24 min•Ep. 176
French economist Thomas Piketty has some big ideas about how Europe should respond to the coronavirus crisis. He shared them in a livestreamed conversation with POLITICO earlier this week, and Brussels Playbook author Florian Eder joins us to talk through some highlights. The podcast panel's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz and Matt Kartnitschnig discuss China's diplomatic pressure on EU institutions and member countries, and how European leaders are trying to balance their economic reliance on Beijing w...
Apr 30, 2020•31 min•Ep. 175
Elisa Ferreira, the European commissioner for cohesion and reforms, is directly involved in crafting the EU's economic response to the coronavirus. She speaks with POLITICO's Lili Bayer about how the Commission plans to use regional development cash from the long-term budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), to ensure the whole of the Continent can recover economically. Ferreira also talks about how the recovery plan will fit with the EU's flagship climate initiatives, such as the Euro...
Apr 27, 2020•18 min•Ep. 174
EU leaders met virtually to try to forge a path toward economic recovery — and they found a way not to disagree, by deciding in advance not to try to agree. With the European Commission now tasked with producing a plan, what are the main sticking points to getting Europe up and running again? POLITICO's David Herszenhorn and Jacopo Barigazzi take us on a behind-the-scenes tour of the European Council, explaining how things typically work and how that's changed in the coronavirus era. Our podcast...
Apr 23, 2020•30 min•Ep. 173
Why is Belgium’s coronavirus death toll so high? And will antibody tests be the panacea to ending lockdowns in Europe? POLITICO's Sarah Wheaton and Barbara Moens answer these questions in the latest edition of our special series on the coronavirus crisis in Europe. Also in this episode, POLITICO's Artificial Intelligence correspondent Janosch Delcker speaks with Nuria Oliver, high commissioner for AI and COVID-19 at the regional government in Valencia, about how she and her team of computer scie...
Apr 20, 2020•23 min•Ep. 172
How have the EU and the U.K. handled the coronavirus crisis so far? Our podcast team took your questions on that subject in a live Twitter chat. Listen in to hear what U.K. political correspondent Annabelle Dickson, EU editor Andrew Gray, chief Europe correspondent Matthew Karnitschnig and senior health reporter Sarah Wheaton had to say. Anu Bradford, a professor at Columbia Law School, is our special guest to talk about her new book on "The Brussels Effect" — a term she coined to describe how E...
Apr 16, 2020•40 min•Ep. 171
Our senior health reporter Sarah Wheaton reviews the key moments of this crisis so far and answers the big questions on how Europe ended up here. You can read the deep dive Sarah co-authored with chief Brussels correspondent David M. Herszenhorn, How Europe failed the coronavirus test, on our website. POLITICO's Joshua Posaner tells us about the impact of the crisis on the auto industry, how it plans to recover and how that may affect regulation. You'll hear the perspectives of Eric-Mark Huitema...
Apr 13, 2020•26 min•Ep. 170
Who's running Britain? Does anyone have a plan to get us out of lockdowns? And what's behind the battle over corona bonds? We try to answer all these questions and more in this week's episode. POLITICO's Annabelle Dickson paints a portrait of Dominic Raab, the U.K. foreign secretary standing in for Boris Johnson while the PM is in hospital. The podcast panel also discusses the European Commission's midweek U-turn — promising, but then postponing, a roadmap for returning to normality. And we exam...
Apr 09, 2020•33 min•Ep. 169
David Alexander, a professor of risk and disaster reduction, explains how governments should prepare for a pandemic and why leaders seem to be in a state of "frantic improvisation" now this one has come along. Governments needed "an immediate, aggressive response" but underestimated the threat posed by the coronavirus as they weighed up the risks of action, Alexander says. He also sets out the case for the EU to "aggressively assert" a greater role for itself in handling major emergencies. POLIT...
Apr 06, 2020•28 min•Ep. 168
Nicolas Schmit, the European commissioner for jobs and social rights, is our special guest — discussing the Commission's plan to help people stay in jobs despite the coronavirus crisis. Our pan-European panel debates how long citizens will tolerate lockdown life before pushing back against their governments. We look at Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's communications troubles, after she triggered anger in Italy by describing corona bonds as a "catchphrase" in the German press. And we ...
Apr 02, 2020•35 min•Ep. 167
Herman Goossens, a professor of microbiology and coordinator of an EU group studying how to combat the coronavirus, is our special guest. What would he have done differently if he could turn back the clock? And when can we realistically expect a return to normal? Goossens answers those questions and more in conversation with POLITICO's senior health reporter Sarah Wheaton and EU editor Andrew Gray. We also look at coronavirus testing with health reporter Carmen Paun. What are the different types...
Mar 30, 2020•30 min•Ep. 166
POLITICO's Silvia Sciorilli Borrelli in Rome shares her thoughts on what the rest of Europe can learn from Italy's response to the coronavirus. Our pan-European panel debates the challenges for democracy in the age of social distancing and examines the risks for the European project if countries hit hard by COVID-19 don't feel solidarity from their neighbors. Gayle Smith, CEO of development NGO the ONE Campaign, was in Brussels a few weeks ago and shared her prescient views on the coronavirus, b...
Mar 27, 2020•31 min•Ep. 165
We hear from someone directly involved in the EU's response to the coronavirus crisis: Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson. The Swedish commissioner talks about the challenges of trying to keep the EU's internal borders open during the crisis — and sets out how her view of why that matters. Johansson, a member of the Commission's coronavirus task force, also voices her concerns about the impact COVID-19 could have on asylum seekers and migrants in camps on the Greek islands. We also check i...
Mar 23, 2020•29 min•Ep. 164
As COVID-19 paralyzes Europe, our podcast panel describes daily life right now in Paris, Berlin, London and Brussels. We also look at how Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel, Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen are leading in this time of crisis. Have they added to the confusion with mixed messages? And we share some ideas on how to survive the suspension of normal life. The coronavirus eclipses everything these days but other big issues haven't gone away forever. Among them is Europe's energy fut...
Mar 19, 2020•37 min•Ep. 163
POLITICO brings you a special edition of the EU Confidential podcast focusing on the coronavirus crisis. This is the first in a series of extra episodes looking at the people, politics and policies shaping Europe's response to COVID-19. After we recap a dramatic day of shutdowns and lockdowns, POLITICO health reporters Sarah Wheaton and Jillian Deutsch talk with EU Editor Andrew Gray about how the EU and different European countries are handling the pandemic. They also turn the spotlight on the ...
Mar 16, 2020•26 min•Ep. 162
Life under lockdown in Italy: This episode of EU Confidential leads off with a conversation with Silvia Sciorilli-Borrelli in Rome about how Italy's attempt to quell the spread of the coronavirus is impacting people's daily lives. European Council President Charles Michel chaired a videoconference of EU leaders on Tuesday to try to get a grip on the coronavirus crisis. But was it too little, too late? POLITICO's Rym Momtaz (in Paris), Andrew Gray (in Brussels), Matt Kartnischnig (in Berlin) and ...
Mar 12, 2020•33 min•Ep. 161
From Brussels, Berlin, Paris and London, we break down responses to the coronavirus across Europe. How are politicians and the general population in each capital reacting? Is there a coherent European response or is everyone doing their own thing? We also analyse how European leaders are responding to the war in Syria and its repercussions at the Continent's borders. Does Europe have a serious plan to ease the suffering and prevent another big migration crisis? And Super Tuesday election results...
Mar 05, 2020•32 min•Ep. 160
This episode of EU Confidential explores how Europe is responding to the coronavirus, with POLITICO's senior health reporter, Sarah Wheaton. We also take you to the Belgian city of Aalst, whose carnival celebrations have been widely condemned for anti-Semitism. POLITICO's Eddy Wax gets local reaction. And if you've ever wondered what superpower the European Commission's Valdis Dombrovskis would like to help him bolster "an economy that works for people," POLITICO's Bjarke Smith-Meyer asked him a...
Feb 27, 2020•37 min•Ep. 159
We go inside the special summit on the EU budget as leaders battle over plans likely to be worth more than €1 trillion over seven years. Among those sharing their thoughts with us: Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Latvian Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš, Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, Estonian Prime Minister Jüri Ratas and the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. Herman Van Rompuy, who negotia...
Feb 21, 2020•34 min•Ep. 158
We go inside one of the world's top gatherings of political leaders, military commanders, ambassadors and policy experts — the Munich Security Conference. POLITICO's team of reporters analyzes the big topics to emerge from the conference, including the state of transatlantic relations, deep divisions in the West over China, Emmanuel Macron's worldview and the future of the European Union. The show features interviews with senior German Green party MP Cem Özdemir, former U.S. ambassador to NATO N...
Feb 16, 2020•45 min•Ep. 157
In the latest EU Confidential, ex-NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen weighs in on the future of European defense and the global artificial intelligence race. We also catch up with the new president of the European Committee of the Regions, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, on the biggest battle in town — over the EU's long-term budget. Our podcast panel discusses the political demise of Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, leader of the ruling Christian Democrats and Angela Merkel's presumed successor as chancellor....
Feb 13, 2020•31 min•Ep. 156
Margrethe Vestager, the European Commission’s executive vice president for digital, is the main interview guest in this week's EU Confidential podcast. She made a name for herself by taking on tech giants in her last job and her new role gives her even more clout. She tells POLITICO's Chief Technology Correspondent Mark Scott how she plans to use her new powers over the next five years. The podcast panel dives into the new proposal to revamp the way the EU deals with would-be members. POLITICO’s...
Feb 06, 2020•31 min•Ep. 155
This episode of EU Confidential bids adieu (or is it au revoir?) to the U.K. as an EU member. You'll hear a lively debate with outgoing British MEPs Jude Kirton-Darling (Labour Party), Alex Phillips (Green Party) and Ann Widdecombe (Brexit Party) during their last days as members of the European Parliament. POLITICO's tech editor Nick Vinocur and U.K. correspondent Annabelle Dickson unpack big moves from Britain and the EU on Chinese company Huawei's role in 5G telecoms networks in the face of U...
Jan 30, 2020•32 min•Ep. 154
This EU Confidential episode comes to you from Davos, Switzerland where the POLITICO team has been covering the 50th edition of the World Economic Forum. You'll hear an exclusive interview with Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel on the EU's Green Deal. We also talked Trump and Twitter with Mary Beard, professor of classics at the University of Cambridge, and heard from David Miliband about Europe's migration policy challenges. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Lea...
Jan 23, 2020•37 min•Ep. 153
On episode 3 of POLITICO's Davos Confidential podcast series, our Editor-in-Chief Stephen Brown breaks down Donald Trump's address on Tuesday at the World Economic Forum, and Florian Eder and Rym Momtaz discuss Trump's meeting with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. POLITICO's Ryan Heath caught up with Ilham Kadri, the CEO of Solvay, a leading Belgian chemical company, about her company's new purpose. We also checked in with Achim Steiner, the head of the United Nations Development Pr...
Jan 22, 2020•33 min•Ep. 152
On Day 2 of Davos Confidential, we preview Donald Trump's much-anticipated speech at the World Economic Forum. Who's considered the most "controversial" among this high-powered crowd? POLITICO's Rym Momtaz, Stephen Brown and Florian Eder debate this question, as well as the impact of the climate movement on businesses. POLITICO's Ryan Heath also discusses changes in the workforce and how companies are investing in up-skilling workers with Tim Ryan, senior partner and chairman of PwC U.S. And our...
Jan 20, 2020•34 min•Ep. 151
POLITICO heads to Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum this week — bringing you a special daily podcast series from the snowy mountains where some of the world's top political, business and civil society leaders gather annually to discuss pressing global challenges. In this episode, POLITICO's Rym Momtaz, Ryan Heath and Cristina Gonzalez give us a taste of what to expect at the forum, where climate change seems to be the issue dominating the agenda. Ryan speaks with Ibrahim AlHusseini...
Jan 20, 2020•19 min•Ep. 150
On this episode of EU Confidential, Europe is on the foreign policy defensive again after Russia and Turkey seized the initiative in Libya. But did Putin and Erdoğan overreach and could the EU step in to seal a deal? Meanwhile, Brussels presented a new fund this week to help Europe go carbon-neutral by 2050. Are the capitals counting on the EU to help them go green? For our feature interview, New Zealand's outgoing ambassador to the EU and NATO, David Taylor, talks to POLITICO's EU Editor Andrew...
Jan 16, 2020•30 min•Ep. 149
