One year on from Ursula von der Leyen taking office as Commission president, we take stock of how she has performed. And Manfred Weber, leader of the largest group in the European Parliament, shares his thoughts on her first year in office. December 1 marked the one-year anniversary of Ursula von der Leyen taking over as president of the European Commission. Did an unforeseen and tumultuous year knock her off her game, or set her up for some surprise successes? And which Commissioners in her ran...
Dec 03, 2020•40 min•Ep. 208
They like America's traditional allies! They talk about multilateralism! Some of them even speak French! U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's foreign policy team has drawn rave reviews in Europe. We debate how much the hype is justified. And we look at the intense lobbying around two cornerstone pieces of tech legislation to be presented in Brussels soon. POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz and Matthew Karnitschnig discuss Biden's key picks and their likely impact on relations with Europe. And as Bid...
Nov 26, 2020•40 min•Ep. 207
Hungary and Poland's block on the EU's budget and recovery package and a Franco-German clash over European strategy autonomy are up for debate in this episode. And we take a deep dive into climate diplomacy, looking at some new pledges and the impact of the postponement of the COP26 conference. POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz, Matthew Karnitschnig and Lili Bayer examine Hungary and Poland's freeze on the EU's €1.8 trillion long-term budget and coronavirus recovery package. How dangerous is th...
Nov 19, 2020•35 min•Ep. 206
The prospect of a coronavirus vaccine, European reaction to Joe Biden's victory in the US presidential race and a breakthrough on the EU's €1.8 trillion budget — it's all up for debate in this episode, featuring renowned virus expert Peter Piot. With Joe Biden declared the winner of the U.S. presidential race but Donald Trump yet to concede, European leaders are in an awkward place. How have they responded so far and were there any surprises in the reactions across Europe? POLITICO's Andrew Gray...
Nov 12, 2020•35 min•Ep. 205
In the final episode of our pop-up series on the US elections, we share the key takeaways, looking at what we heard over the past 3 months and how it explains where we ended up. We also look ahead to looming Senate runoff races in Georgia, with the balance of power in Washington at stake. Ryan Heath picks over the result of the U.S. elections and looks back at the campaign to see which moments turned out to be prescient: from predictions of massive Democratic turnout via mail-in ballots to warni...
Nov 10, 2020•27 min
In this special extended episode, we debate and dissect the U.S. presidential vote, looking at its implications for America, transatlantic ties and European politics. Even as the final outcome remains uncertain, the election has already told us plenty about America. It has exposed the extent of the country's polarization and made clear that Trumpism isn't going away — even if the U.S gets a new president. What does that mean for America and for Europe? And if Joe Biden clinches the presidency as...
Nov 05, 2020•44 min•Ep. 204
In this episode of our pop-up series on the US elections, hosted by Ryan Heath, we give you all the details you need to follow the big night like a seasoned DC insider — including what to look out for, where to keep a close eye on and what the polls are saying. POLITICO Intelligence Analyst Cornelius Hirsch and Cameron Easley, senior editor at data intelligence firm Morning Consult, explain how the polls are different from four years ago, what lessons were learned in 2016 and the key places that...
Nov 02, 2020•22 min
Trouble in French President Emmanuel Macron's inner circle, the European Commission's move to boost minimum wages, and the battle to lead the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development all feature in this episode. POLITICO's Rym Momtaz gives us the inside scoop from the halls of the Elysée Palace, where top foreign policy advisers face accusations of fostering a hostile and dysfunctional work environment — allegations they flatly deny. Read Rym's full story here. And Matthew Karnitsc...
Oct 29, 2020•38 min•Ep. 203
In this episode of our pop-up series on the U.S. elections, hosted by Ryan Heath, we dive into the top debate moments of this campaign season — and explain how they've impacted the election. POLITICO White House reporter Gabby Orr explains the dramatic impact the first presidential debate had on Trump's campaign strategy, and whether he did enough to recover in the recent and final match up with Joe Biden. And with one week left, is there anything Joe Biden could say or do that would jeapordize ...
Oct 27, 2020•18 min
Political activity in a pandemic, transatlantic turbulence, the EU's farming future and what the hospitality industry wants from politicians to weather the coronavirus crisis are all up for debate in this episode of EU Confidential. POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz and Matthew Karnitschnig ask whether politics as usual is possible in a pandemic, as more politicians go into protective quarantine or test positive for COVID-19. Matt expands on his recent article, Trump, Biden and the ‘f****** Ger...
Oct 22, 2020•34 min•Ep. 202
In this episode of our pop-up series on the U.S. elections, hosted by Ryan Heath, we explain what is happening in America's suburbs — a crucial voting block for Donald Trump in 2016 — and particularly, suburban women. POLITICO's Zack Stanton, who's been looking into the changing nature of America's suburbs, argues that the story of suburban women is the story of the 2020 election. President and CEO of Republican Main Street Partnership Sarah Chamberlain and Meghan Milloy, the co-founder of Repub...
Oct 20, 2020•23 min
The coronavirus is top of mind as we dig into the state of the pandemic in the EU, and ask whether leaders' handling of its resurgence threatens the bond of trust between governments and citizens. Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid is our special guest to discuss her bid to be the next secretary-general of the OECD and other topics. On the coronavirus, POLITICO health reporter Jillian Deutsch gets us up to speed on the EU's coordination efforts, and where things stand in developing a vaccine. R...
Oct 15, 2020•37 min•Ep. 201
In this episode of our pop-up series on the U.S. elections, hosted by Ryan Heath, we dive into the myriad of lawsuits and legal issues surrounding November's elections. Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold explains how her state has successfully handled mail-in voting, and the additional challenges she's facing as a result of the pandemic and President Trump's rhetoric on voting. POLITICO campaign reporter Zach Montellaro breaks down other issues facing legal battles, from ballot drop boxes...
Oct 13, 2020•26 min
Rule of law in the EU, mounting coronavirus concerns and Brexit brinksmanship are all up for debate on the latest episode of EU Confidential. Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders is our special guest to discuss the Commission's new rule-of-law audit of all 27 member countries. POLITICO's Rym Momtaz, Matthew Karnitschnig and Barbara Moens break down the state-of-play in Brexit negotiations ahead of next week's discussion among EU leaders at another European Council summit. And with cases of coron...
Oct 08, 2020•28 min•Ep. 200
In this episode of our pop-up series on the U.S. elections, guest hosted by David M. Herszenhorn, we look at what's at stake for Europe and the impact on transatlantic relations. Former German ambassador to the U.S. Wolfgang Ischinger and Radosław Sikorski, Polish member of the European Parliament and former defense minister and foreign minister, discuss how the election is bound to impact Europe — can the transatlantic relationship survive four more years of Donald Trump? And what would change ...
Oct 06, 2020•26 min
As EU leaders meet in Brussels, we hold our own mini-summit to debate issues on the table in the European Council building — including tension in the Eastern Mediterranean and the EU's relations with Russia. Our special guest is Norbert Röttgen, who's campaigning to lead Germany's Christian Democrats and succeed Chancellor Angela Merkel. POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz and Matt Karnitschnig discuss French President Emmanuel Macron's trip to the Baltics this week and debate his approach to dip...
Oct 01, 2020•38 min•Ep. 199
In this episode of our pop-up series on the U.S. elections, hosted by Ryan Heath, we talk about America's battle for racial justice and how it's translating into political action. POLITICO's Brooke Minters and Eugene Daniels break down the key issues for Black voters in 2020, as well as their top concerns, and share their personal experiences — emphasizing the importance of honest dialogue and education when discussing the issue of race. You'll also hear from Derrick Johnson, president and CEO o...
Sep 29, 2020•24 min
The EU's new plan to handle migration is in the spotlight — Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson lays out the package and our podcast panel breaks it down. You'll also hear from Clément Beaune, France's minister of state for European affairs, on Turkey, European hard power and why the EU needs a software update. Ylva Johansson sat down with POLITICO's Andrew Gray on the day she revealed the new plan to tackle one of the most divisive issues facing Europe: migration. Johansson portrayed migra...
Sep 24, 2020•37 min•Ep. 198
In this episode of our pop-up series on the U.S. elections, hosted by Ryan Heath, we talk about how conspiracy theories have moved from the fringes of American political rhetoric to the mainstream. POLITICO reporter Sabrina Rodríguez sheds light on conspiracy theories targeted at Spanish speakers in the crucial swing state of Florida. You can read her full piece: "'This is f---ing crazy': Florida Latinos swamped by wild conspiracy theories." You'll also hear from two candidates, one running for ...
Sep 22, 2020•24 min
We analyze Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's first State of the European Union speech. And Ronald Gidwitz, the U.S. ambassador to Belgium who's also the acting Representative to the EU, gives us his take on the issues that unite and divide his country and the European Union right now. POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz and David M. Herszenhorn debate this week's set-piece event in Brussels — von der Leyen's speech on Wednesday to the European Parliament. What did it say about her plans...
Sep 17, 2020•37 min•Ep. 197
In this episode of our pop-up series on the U.S. elections, hosted by Ryan Heath, we talk money — diving into why American elections are so expensive, and how 2020 is stacking up. You'll hear from Elena Schneider, a national political reporter at POLITICO; Democratic strategist Tim Lim; and from Ellen Weintraub, a commissioner on the Federal Election Commission charged with enforcing campaign finance law in federal elections. The regular EU Confidential podcast will be back in your feed on Thurs...
Sep 15, 2020•25 min
A European Commission reshuffle, the European Parliament's decision to skip Strasbourg and new uproar over Brexit all feature in this episode — alongside our interview guest Nick Pickles, Twitter's global policy strategist. POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz, Matt Karnitschnig and Bjarke Smith-Meyer unpack Ursula von der Leyen's rejig of her top team. The Commission president selected Valdis Dombrovsksis as her new trade chief and nominated Ireland's Mairead McGuinness as financial services comm...
Sep 10, 2020•36 min•Ep. 196
On this episode of our pop-up series on the U.S. elections, hosted by Ryan Heath, we explore the polarization of American politics and ask one simple question: Why has this happened? You'll hear from Kristen Soltis Anderson, political pollster and co-founder of research firm Echelon Insights, as well as POLITICO's Tim Alberta, who's been covering the Republican Party for over a decade — we talk about his recent piece in POLITICO Magazine, "The Grand Old Meltdown." The regular EU Confidential pod...
Sep 08, 2020•25 min
A firsthand account of French President Emmanuel Macron's latest diplomatic push in Lebanon; the poisoning of opposition activist Alexei Navalny; and McMafia author Misha Glenny on the political leaders he calls "iron men" — it's a packed episode of EU Confidential to welcome you back from summer holidays. POLITICO's Rym Momtaz sat down with Macron on his plane as they headed to Beirut earlier this week. Rym gives us the inside scoop on the trip and breaks down Macron's risky mission to resolve ...
Sep 03, 2020•37 min•Ep. 195
Our third episode dedicated to the U.S. election, hosted by Ryan Heath, breaks down the 'perfect storm' of issues — a pandemic, voting troubles and foreign interference — that have experts on edge. The last presidential election campaign in 2016 involved huge debates about issues like immigration, power plays over the future direction of the Supreme Court and ethics — remember Hillary Clinton’s emails? In 2020, it’s the election mechanics that are front and center of political debate. Laying out...
Sep 01, 2020•22 min
EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan's resignation, the "golfgate" controversy surrounding his decision and what this means for the European Commission is the hot topic of this week's episode. POLITICO's Rym Momtaz, Matthew Karnitschnig and Christian Oliver walk us through the twists and turns and reveal the real driving forces behind Hogan's decision to bow out. Our featured guest is transatlantic expert Dan Hamilton, who sat down with Matthew Karnitschnig in Berlin to discuss the current state of ...
Aug 27, 2020•29 min•Ep. 194
We take you to the Republican National Convention (RNC) in this episode of our pop-up podcast series on the U.S. elections, hosted by Ryan Heath, and break down what is motivating Trump voters in 2020 — including in key states like Pennsylvania. We also examine the part played by party conventions at the heart of America's political process. Alongside highlights from the RNC, you'll hear from Meridith McGraw, White House reporter at POLITICO; Tony Fratto, communications strategist and former dep...
Aug 25, 2020•23 min
The EU's approach to the Belarus crisis and a new transatlantic battle over sanctions on Iran are up for debate in this week's episode, while Germany's Environment Minister Svenja Schulze sets out her plans to steer EU climate policy. Security forces in Belarus have cracked down violently on protesters who took to the streets after strongman Alexander Lukashenko claimed reelection as president in a vote widely condemned as fraudulent. POLITICO's Andrew Gray in Brussels and Matthew Karnitschnig i...
Aug 20, 2020•36 min•Ep. 193
Our pop-up podcast series on the U.S. elections, hosted by Ryan Heath, kicks off at the (mostly-virtual) Democratic National Convention, and dives into the current debate over voting by mail and the challenges of voting from abroad. You'll hear from former U.S. Secretary of State and ex-presidential candidate John Kerry; Julia Bryan, chair of Democrats Abroad; Kelley Robinson, executive director for Planned Parenthood Action Fund; Ben Wikler, Wisconsin Democratic party state chair; Moe Vela, dir...
Aug 18, 2020•19 min
A foretaste of our brand new podcast on the U.S. elections, hosted by POLITICO's Ryan Heath. Starting on Tuesday August 18, Ryan and guests will combine in-depth knowledge of the American political scene with an outsider's perspective to explore what the elections mean for the U.S., Europe and the world. A new episode of Campaign Confidential will arrive every Tuesday until election day. And, of course, EU Confidential will still be with you as usual every Thursday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.co...
Aug 13, 2020•3 min
