The State of the EU: Reflecting on Economic Agony and Urgent Calls for Action

Under the jackhammers on Schuman, Brussels is filling back up for the rentrée — and the fault lines are showing.

Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by colleagues Clea Caulcutt, Nick Vinocur and Paul Dallison to unpack a cliff-edge week: France’s confidence vote on an austerity budget that could topple Prime Minister François Bayrou and push Paris back into chaos; Europe’s next moves on Ukraine; and Ursula von der Leyen’s big address in Strasbourg on the EU’s place in a shifting world. It’s a tough speech to deliver, with few clear wins to trumpet.

Plus, our resident comedian brings von der Leyen bingo back: Place your bets on how many times she will say “competitiveness.”

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