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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast From Brussels, Berlin, Paris and London — Europe’s premier political podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 12, 2020•1 min•Transcript available on Metacast Fears of a coronavirus second wave, a campaign for gender equality at the top of the EU, and the U.S. presidential election all feature in this week's episode. After weeks of intense debate over the economic response to the pandemic, the focus in Europe is shifting back to the worrying health situation. POLITICO's Andrew Gray and Rym Momtaz are joined by Senior Health Reporter Sarah Wheaton to discuss the growing number of cases around the Continent and new restrictions being imposed as a result...
Jul 30, 2020•31 min•Ep 192•Transcript available on Metacast The POLITICO team breaks down the details — and the drama — behind the deal struck by EU leaders on a €1.82 trillion financial package during a historic five-day summit in Brussels. Using audio clips from key players and drawing on behind-the-scenes reporting, POLITICO's Lili Bayer, Andrew Gray, David M. Herszenhorn and Rym Momtaz talk through the deals within the deal and the tensions among the leaders as they struggled to agree on an EU budget and coronavirus recovery fund. It's a must-listen ...
Jul 23, 2020•30 min•Ep 191•Transcript available on Metacast The EU's budget and recovery plan, the Polish election outcome and the "tribalization" of Europe are all up for debate in this week's episode. POLITICO's Lili Bayer has the latest take on where things stand as EU leaders gather at the negotiating table to wrangle over the budget and recovery package. It's an unusual summit with no reporters, no handshakes and some €1.8 trillion at stake. If a deal is struck, we'll bring you a special extra edition of the podcast to break down exactly what it all...
Jul 16, 2020•34 min•Ep 190•Transcript available on Metacast Emmanuel Macron's reshuffle, Angela Merkel's Brussels trip and Europe's approach to China all feature in this week's episode, as well as an interview with the EU's first chief prosecutor. POLITICO's France Correspondent Rym Momtaz analyzes Macron's government rejig and explains why it has been met with more shrugs than smiles. The podcast crew discusses Merkel's address to the European Parliament and her meetings with top EU officials as they push for a recovery fund deal at next week's summit. ...
Jul 09, 2020•28 min•Ep 189•Transcript available on Metacast A Green wave in France, the speaking styles of Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić all feature in this week's podcast. POLITICO's Rym Momtaz in Paris explains what Green wins in local polls mean for Macron, while Matthew Karnitschnig gives us the perspective from Berlin on the Continent's Green shift in recent elections. A joint press conference from Merkel and Macron this week highlighted their contrasting approaches to communication. Merkel kept things con...
Jul 02, 2020•27 min•Ep 188•Transcript available on Metacast The podcast crew marks your political calendar with previews of elections in France and Poland as well as Germany's presidency of the EU Council. Rym Momtaz in Paris looks ahead to Sunday's second round of French local elections and discusses the stakes for President Emmanuel Macron. Zosia Wanat gives us the lowdown on Polish President Andrzej Duda's re-election bid, hot on the heels of his visit to the White House, and brings us some audio treats from the campaign. From Berlin, Matthew Karnitsc...
Jun 25, 2020•35 min•Ep 187•Transcript available on Metacast Peter Mandelson, former EU trade commissioner and British Cabinet minister, throws his hat into the ring to be the next boss of the World Trade Organization (WTO). He makes his pitch as to why he could pull the WTO out of crisis — and why Britain's Conservative government might back him. He also discusses tensions with China and the path he foresees for a deal between the EU and the U.K. The POLITICO podcast crew — Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz and Matthew Karnitschnig — review the state of play as EU...
Jun 18, 2020•34 min•Ep 186•Transcript available on Metacast European Commission Vice President Věra Jourová joins us to discuss the EU executive's plan to crack down on disinformation related to the coronavirus. The document specifically accuses China and Russia, as well as home-grown peddlers of disinformation, of using the crisis to spread fake news — and it calls on tech platforms to do more to tackle the problem. Jourová, whose portfolio includes the rule of law, also shares her latest assessments on Hungary and Poland. Our podcast panel this week co...
Jun 11, 2020•36 min•Ep 185•Transcript available on Metacast The killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of police officers sparked protests in the United States, as well as in Europe. POLITICO's Rym Momtaz, Matthew Karnitschnig and David M. Herszenhorn debate the reaction from European leaders, including the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell who called this "an abuse of power." The panel also examines the current state of transatlantic relations, as German Chancellor Angela Merkel declines President Donald Trump's invitation to attend a...
Jun 04, 2020•35 min•Ep 184•Transcript available on Metacast The European Commission this week unveiled a sweeping €750 billion proposal to get the EU's economies back on track. POLITICO's budget guru Lili Bayer, along with Andrew Gray, Matthew Karnitschnig and Rym Momtaz break down the plan and preview the battles ahead. We assess the mood in Commission HQ and around the Continent, and ask whether Ursula von der Leyen and her team have emerged strengthened from the skirmishes so far. Noé Debré, the creator of "Parlement," a TV comedy set in the European ...
May 28, 2020•35 min•Ep 183•Transcript available on Metacast As countries ease lockdowns and try to move toward normality, we take stock of Europe's response to the coronavirus so far. We pick out key themes and moments, offer a behind-the-scenes peek at our coverage and look at the challenges to come. POLITICO's Andrew Gray reviews the past few months and senior health care reporter Sarah Wheaton adds her insights in the last of our special coronavirus episodes — at least for now. Be sure to continue listening to our regular Thursday editions of EU Confi...
May 25, 2020•32 min•Ep 182•Transcript available on Metacast It was big and bold and came out of the blue — Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron took Europe by surprise with a plan for a €500 billion EU recovery fund. Was it a historic moment for Europe? How would the scheme work? And can the skeptics be won over? POLITICO's Rym Momtaz, Matthew Karnitschnig and Andrew Gray break down the politics behind the plan and preview the battles ahead. To add an expert economist's view into the mix, Matt catches up with Lucas Guttenberg, deputy director of the Jacques...
May 21, 2020•33 min•Ep 181•Transcript available on Metacast How green will Europe's economic revival be? Pascal Canfin, the chair of the European Parliament's environment committee, outlines what MEPs want to see from the EU's recovery plan. Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron outlined their vision for that plan this week but how does the Parliament think the money should be raised and spent, particularly to help the EU meet its climate goals? Children are heading back to school in parts of Europe. But their return to the classroom isn't without concern. P...
May 18, 2020•26 min•Ep 180•Transcript available on Metacast Timothy Garton Ash, professor of European studies in the University of Oxford, doesn't mince words about the challenges — and opportunities — facing the European Union as it tries to navigate its way out of the coronavirus crisis. His Europe’s Stories project is producing some surprising findings about what young people want from the Continent's politicians. Can they rise to the challenge? The renowned historian also talks about why this is a moment of "existential" danger for the EU, why he cal...
May 14, 2020•36 min•Ep 179•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 
