EU Confidential
397 episodes - English - Latest episode: 18 days ago - ★★★★ - 78 ratingsEU Confidential is a weekly European news and politics podcast published every Friday by POLITICO Europe. Each 30-minute episode features POLITICO’s analysis of the top stories driving EU politics, as well as notable guests shaping European policy and deep-dive stories from around the Continent. It’s hosted by Sarah Wheaton, POLITICO’s chief policy correspondent, who is joined by reporters from around Europe. Discover our show notes for EU Confidential here: https://www.politico.eu/eu-confidential-podcast/
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Episodes
Ep 201, presented by Equinor: Israeli-Palestinian conflict — Laschet's foreign foray — Javier Solana
May 20, 2021 18:43 - 28 minutes - 24.8 MBEuropean 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...
Ep 200, presented by Shell: Vaccine patent waivers — Macron gets mad — Facebook's Nick Clegg
May 13, 2021 14:05 - 38 minutes - 30.6 MBEuropean 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 Macr...
Ep 199, presented by SQM: Media freedom — European travel — Social summit
May 06, 2021 17:00 - 33 minutes - 26.2 MBIs 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...
Ep 198, presented by Equinor: Recovery recipes — Presidential problems — Scottish election
April 29, 2021 18:16 - 39 minutes - 31.5 MBRecovery 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 lingerin...
Ep 197: Germany's candidates — Super League shambles — data breach battles
April 22, 2021 15:06 - 34 minutes - 27.7 MBThe 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 bit...
Ep 196: Ukraine tension — Merkel succession battle — Marine litter
April 15, 2021 17:14 - 28 minutes - 25.5 MBPOLITICO'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...
Ep 195: Sofagate — Central and Eastern Europe's COVID struggles — Ivan Krastev
April 08, 2021 16:09 - 36 minutes - 28.9 MBThe 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 form...
Special Edition: Stephen Brown — An audio appreciation
April 04, 2021 20:26 - 31 minutes - 28.9 MBThis 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 neve...
Ep 194: EU faces Beijing backlash — European astronauts in conversation
April 01, 2021 17:36 - 30 minutes - 23.7 MBPOLITICO'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...
Ep 193, presented by the European Training Foundation: Vax attacks — German scandals — Syria conflict
March 25, 2021 14:23 - 29 minutes - 23.7 MBPOLITICO'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 year...
Ep 192: AstraZeneca limbo — Vaccine export bans — COVID disinformation
March 18, 2021 21:16 - 35 minutes - 28.3 MBAs 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 pla...
Ep 191: German election journey — EESC in spotlight
March 11, 2021 16:50 - 42 minutes - 40 MBOur 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 go...
Ep 190: EU solidarity jabbed — Vaccine passports — China relations
March 04, 2021 17:33 - 37 minutes - 35.1 MBPOLITICO'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...
Ep 189: Message to Moscow — Frontier fracas — Euro English
February 25, 2021 16:16 - 30 minutes - 24 MBEU 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...
Ep 188: Mario Draghi's return — Italian influence — Is the EU funny?
February 18, 2021 15:50 - 33 minutes - 30.3 MBWe 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 — pa...
Ep 187, presented by Equinor: Borrell Russia rumpus — Macron's rivals — Lithuania's foreign minister
February 11, 2021 15:27 - 30 minutes - 26.7 MBWe 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 af...
Ep 186, presented by Equinor: Vaccine export fiasco — Von der Leyen's line — Belgian virologist
February 04, 2021 20:17 - 33 minutes - 30.3 MBPOLITICO 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 d...
Ep 185, presented by BP: Europe's vaccine blame game — Brussels bubble struggles
January 28, 2021 15:53 - 34 minutes - 30.8 MBPOLITICO'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...
Ep 184: Europe reacts to Biden's inauguration — Merkel succession
January 21, 2021 14:04 - 28 minutes - 26.4 MBJoe 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 f...
Ep 183: CDU contenders — Platforms and politicians — 'Good' countries
January 14, 2021 15:08 - 35 minutes - 32.4 MBPOLITICO'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 o...
Ep 182: Vaccine vexation — EU-UK deal — Previewing 2021
January 07, 2021 20:56 - 41 minutes - 37.7 MBWe 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. Th...
Ep 181, presented by Google: Reflecting on 2020
December 17, 2020 21:07 - 41 minutes - 32.1 MBIt'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...
Ep 180, presented by Shell: EU deals on climate & budget — Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha González Laya
December 11, 2020 19:07 - 38 minutes - 30 MBIn their final meeting of 2020, EU leaders made key decisions on the bloc's long-term budget and recovery fund, emissions targets, and foreign affairs. We delayed this week's episode to bring you a must-listen analysis of what happened and what it all means. We also have an interview with Spain's Foreign Minister Arancha González Laya. A top team of POLITICO reporters takes you through the European Council. Lili Bayer breaks down the compromise that ended a budget blockade by Hungary and Po...
Ep 179, presented by Equinor: Von der Leyen's first year reviewed — Manfred Weber interview
December 03, 2020 18:16 - 38 minutes - 29.7 MBOne 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 he...
Ep 178: Europe's new US BFFs — Biden calling — Big tech lobbying
November 26, 2020 17:22 - 38 minutes - 30.7 MBThey 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 a...
Ep 177 In Focus: Energy, presented by Shell: Budget blocked — Strategic autonomy — COP26
November 19, 2020 20:28 - 34 minutes - 27.5 MBHungary 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 ...
Ep 176, presented by Equinor: Vaccine hopes — Budget breakthrough — US election reaction
November 12, 2020 19:56 - 33 minutes - 26.6 MBThe 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...
Campaign Confidential #13, presented by Huawei: Key election lessons — Georgia on our minds
November 10, 2020 16:35 - 25 minutes - 20.6 MBIn 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 ...
Ep 175: Biden, Trump and what the US elections mean for Europe
November 05, 2020 19:42 - 42 minutes - 34.2 MBIn 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 presiden...
Campaign Confidential #12, presented by Huawei: How to watch election night like a pro
November 02, 2020 13:16 - 20 minutes - 16.3 MBIn 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 place...
Ep 174: Team Macron turmoil — Minimum wage push — OECD contenders
October 29, 2020 19:40 - 36 minutes - 29 MBTrouble 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 Kar...
Campaign Confidential #11: Top debate drama and campaign crunch time
October 27, 2020 15:47 - 17 minutes - 13.7 MBIn 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 jeapor...
Ep 173, presented by the European Commission: Pandemic politics — Farming feuds — Hospitality hopes
October 22, 2020 17:28 - 32 minutes - 26.4 MBPolitical 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*****...
Campaign Confidential #10: Trump's suburban troubles
October 20, 2020 18:16 - 21 minutes - 17.4 MBIn 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...
Ep 172: Coronavirus scramble — Estonia's president — Panel's picks
October 15, 2020 18:27 - 35 minutes - 28.7 MBThe 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 vacci...
Campaign Confidential #9: America's election litigation bonanza
October 13, 2020 17:03 - 24 minutes - 19.7 MBIn 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...
Ep 171, presented by Shell: Commissioner Reynders on rule of law — Brexit crunch time — Coronavirus surge
October 08, 2020 15:43 - 26 minutes - 20.8 MBRule 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 ...
Campaign Confidential #8: What's at stake for Europe
October 06, 2020 18:38 - 25 minutes - 22.9 MBIn 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 ch...
Ep 170: EU leaders talk Turkey and Russia — Chancellor hopeful Norbert Röttgen
October 01, 2020 18:01 - 36 minutes - 29.2 MBAs 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 t...
Campaign Confidential #7: How the fight for racial justice is impacting the elections
September 29, 2020 17:41 - 22 minutes - 18.2 MBIn 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...
Ep 169: Commissioner Johansson on EU migration pact — France's Europe Minister Clément Beaune
September 24, 2020 16:42 - 35 minutes - 32.5 MBThe 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 ...
Campaign Confidential #6: How conspiracy theories are shaping the 2020 elections
September 22, 2020 18:41 - 22 minutes - 17.9 MBIn 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...
Ep 168: Von der Leyen's State of the European Union — US Ambassador Ronald Gidwitz
September 17, 2020 20:24 - 35 minutes - 28.4 MBWe 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 ...
Campaign Confidential #5: Money, money, money
September 15, 2020 22:12 - 23 minutes - 18.8 MBIn 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...
Ep 167: Commission reshuffle — Strasbourg skip — Brexit's back — Twitter's Nick Pickles
September 10, 2020 16:41 - 34 minutes - 27.6 MBA 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...
Campaign Confidential #4: Why is America more polarized than ever?
September 08, 2020 16:00 - 24 minutes - 19.2 MBOn 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 Confidenti...
Ep 166: Macron's Lebanon gamble — Navalny poisoning — Misha Glenny's Iron Men
September 03, 2020 17:38 - 35 minutes - 32.3 MBA 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 res...
Campaign Confidential #3: A perfect storm — Foreign influence — Absentee ballots
September 01, 2020 16:29 - 20 minutes - 16.6 MBOur 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. Layi...
Ep 165: Golfgate and Hogan's resignation — Trump-era transatlantic relations
August 27, 2020 15:15 - 27 minutes - 22.2 MBEU 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 stat...
Campaign Confidential #2: Republican National Convention — Pennsylvania voters — American democracy
August 25, 2020 15:22 - 21 minutes - 17.5 MBWe 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 forme...