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 conversatio...
Oct 28, 2021•40 min•Ep. 252
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...
Oct 21, 2021•31 min•Ep. 251
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...
Oct 14, 2021•36 min•Ep. 250
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 af...
Oct 07, 2021•28 min•Ep. 249
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 policym...
Sep 30, 2021•39 min•Ep. 248
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 ...
Sep 27, 2021•25 min•Ep. 247
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 dow...
Sep 23, 2021•50 min•Ep. 246
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 teami...
Sep 16, 2021•38 min•Ep. 245
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 Ar...
Sep 09, 2021•31 min•Ep. 244
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 mil...
Sep 02, 2021•31 min•Ep. 243
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 t...
Aug 26, 2021•35 min•Ep. 242
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...
Aug 19, 2021•32 min•Ep. 241
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 pas...
Jul 29, 2021•40 min•Ep. 240
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 ...
Jul 22, 2021•38 min•Ep. 239
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 afterm...
Jul 15, 2021•36 min•Ep. 238
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 minis...
Jul 08, 2021•31 min•Ep. 237
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 Europ...
Jul 01, 2021•38 min•Ep. 236
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...
Jun 24, 2021•34 min•Ep. 235
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 Washingto...
Jun 17, 2021•37 min•Ep. 234
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...
Jun 10, 2021•39 min•Ep. 233
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...
Jun 03, 2021•32 min•Ep. 232
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...
May 27, 2021•33 min•Ep. 231
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 i...
May 20, 2021•28 min•Ep. 230
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 ...
May 13, 2021•39 min•Ep. 229
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 pr...
May 06, 2021•33 min•Ep. 228
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 tens...
Apr 29, 2021•40 min•Ep. 227
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 p...
Apr 22, 2021•35 min•Ep. 226
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 Pele...
Apr 15, 2021•29 min•Ep. 225
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 Bu...
Apr 08, 2021•36 min•Ep. 224
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...
Apr 04, 2021•32 min
