Euphoria

The EU wants to become climate neutral by 2050 but to reach this ambitious goal it needs an equally ambitious plan. The European Green Deal is the package of legislation and policies that the EU is relying on to get us to the net neutral goal. Still, with the upcoming European Parliament elections it is likely to be reshaped by a new coalition. In this episode Federico and Arianna talk us through the possible scenarios for the future of the Green Deal and interview Francesca Bellisai from ECCO, about he research in this field. Music: Gleb Ragalevich

400 million people are eligible to vote for this year's European Parliament elections, but nobody is talking about it! In this episode Arianna and Federico introduce and set the stakes for the EP elections that will be held between the 6th and 9th of June in 2024. They also introduce us to some of the key concepts behind the race! Music: Gleb Ragalevich

Longer episode for a nice (if cold!) holiday season. In this episode, Francesco and Alastair have a chat with 3 other members of EU&U, namely Martina, Evan and Jokin, to look back to the Italian elections of September 2022 and reflect upon what the results mean in the current European landscape and in relation to other European governments. Therefore just sit back, relax, and enjoy! The episode is divided in 3 chapters, available at the following timestamps: Chapter 1 - 0:00 Chapter 2 - 47:02 Chapter 3 - 01:03:24

Francesco and Alastair are joined by Cathy, Sam and Sharon for an in-depth discussion on the potential for Irish unity following Northern Ireland's shocking and historic election results. Alastair is from the North but Cathy, Sam and Sharon are from the South; so this is a real cross-border poll of opinions! We're also answering YOUR questions about Irish politics and Ireland in general. Is a United Ireland realistic? Is Derry Girls realistic? Which is the best cup of tea? And whose fault is all this anyway! Join us for the most craic EU&U has ever seen!

In this episode we talk to Dori from Hungary and Lilly from the Czech Republic, who explain to us all about the Visegrád 4; the 700 year long cooperation between their countries along with Slovakia and Poland. We'll discuss the culture, politics, history and personalities of the countries, as well as sharing some perceptions. And as we debate the difference between Central and Eastern Europe, we'll also talk about the shadow of Russia over these countries, and the implications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine for our lives.

New York based stand-up comedian Dan Pulzello is the king of Europe vs USA TikToks and Reels so we thought it was time to get him on the show to have it out! Join us for a hilarious dive into some of our funniest cultural differences, and Dan's philosophy on making fun of them. We also chat about the art of standup and the New York standup scene, as well as how social media has transformed the way comedians interact with their material as well as their audiences. Not to mention how social media has transformed and polarised society; we get into that too. Dan also has some words of wisdom for French people going to the polls this weekend - don't think You-Know-What can't happen to you just cos you're in Europe... 

Natālija Knipše is an incredible youth activist who joins us for a chat about her time as UN Youth Delegate for Latvia and her personal brand of youth activism. We also get the behind-the-scenes scoop on COP26 from her - she was there - and you don't want to miss that. Also in this episode, we discuss the Russian invasion of Ukraine and how it feels to live with Russia hovering over your shoulder, as well as the incredible true story of the Baltic Way protest. We also share a few tips and tricks on how to improve your public speaking - even if you suffer from anxiety and panic attacks.

We're joined this time by Pietro to announce the EU&U Policy Hackathon, an unmissable event we're organising in cooperation with the European Parliament Liaison Offices that YOU can take part in! We also hear more of your feedback on EU&U and discuss our plans for future content! Did we read our your suggestion? Sign up for the hackathon at https://together.eu/events

You asked, we listened! In this episode we review your New Year's suggestions for EU&U, starting with a deep-dive on a federalised future for the EU - the politics, the culture, the economy... the army? And we kick off the New Year with a comparison of the Irish and Italian Christmas Cakes - you won't believe which one Francesco wants to try!

We welcome special guest Otilia Colceriu for an in-depth look at the exciting and dynamic politics of Romania, from the technocratic government in 2015 to the jailing of Liviu Dragnea, Romania's most powerful politician. We also learn about Romania's National Day, dances, and of course we compare notes on the best alcohol too. Not to mention a virtual tour of Maastricht, the plan for Next Generation EU, and a fairy tale about an Irish giant - not to be missed!