EU Confidential

As voting gets underway throughout the EU, we check in on the polls and learn which stories are dominating the headlines in capitals around Europe.Host Sarah Wheaton discusses the latest polling numbers with our data reporter Hanne Cokelaere. Be sure to check out POLITICO's Poll of Polls for the latest insights.We also hear from colleagues around Europe who explain which stories are uppermost in voters' minds as they head to the ballot box.Aitor Hernández-Morales gives us a snapshot from Spain, where the vote is seen as a referendum on the government, and where a surprise diplomatic spat between Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Argentina's President Javier Milei could sway some voters.Charlie Duxbury in Sweden explains how a focus on migration is working for the far-right Sweden Democrats.Clea Caulcutt in France says it's all about President Emmanuel Macron and far-right National Rally leader Jordan Bardella.And Hans von der Burchard tells us how the war in Ukraine is polarizing Germany's governing coalition, and predicts how big a factor the recent killing of a German police officer could be for rival parties.Further reading:All politics is local: What the EU election is actually about in each country, by POLITICOPutin’s a bigger deal than EU election in Europe’s frontline states, by Charlie Duxbury and Bartosz BrzezińskiProgramming alert! We'll be doing a special video livestream taping of EU Confidential on Sunday from 8:30-9:15 p.m. Sign up to watch us on election night as the preliminary results are released, and then check your EU Confidential podcast feed on Monday morning for highlights of our election night analysis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The podcast delves into the impacts of the European election on key EU policies like health, energy, climate, tech, and defense. Experts discuss how the new MEPs and commissioners might affect these policies. Topics include defense ambitions, green transition funding, far-right influence, and potential shifts in pharmaceutical legislation and health budget allocations.

This is your essential (and entertaining!) guide to the upcoming European election — everything you've wanted to know but been too afraid to ask.With the crucial vote just two weeks away, we reached out to you, our European and American listeners, on social media and collected the most pressing election-related questions. Both veterans of the Brussels bubble and political novices seem to be wondering about everything from: can you vote online to does it even matter?Host Sarah Wheaton and her panel of POLITICO's election experts delve into the nitty-gritty of voting and what happens next. Sarah's joined by politics reporter Eddy Wax, chief EU correspondent Barbara Moens and cybersecurity editor Laurens Cerulus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ursula von der Leyen made a promise this week: if she secures another term as president of the European Commission, she will prioritize beefing up the EU's defenses against malicious disinformation from Moscow.It's a top-of-agenda issue for many in Brussels and across the bloc, with less than a month until the European election and hostile actors using sophisticated tools such as generative AI.In this episode, host Sarah Wheaton and her guests unpack some of the latest examples of interference from the Kremlin, such as sharing AI-generated deepfake videos of politicians or cloning the voices of public figures to impersonate them. Sarah is joined by Mark Scott, POLITICO's chief technology correspondent, and Jakub Kalensky, deputy director of the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats in Helsinki. They also discuss what's behind Europe's modest successes in countering Russian disinformation campaigns.Further reading:Moldova fights to free itself from Russia’s AI-powered disinformation machine by Mark ScottDeepfakes, distrust and disinformation: Welcome to the AI election by Mark ScottSpot the deepfake: The AI tools undermining our own eyes and ears by Mark Scott Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unpacking the diverse far-right voter base beyond stereotypes, including women, youth, and migrants. Discussion on how economic hardship and dissatisfaction with public services fuel support for parties like AfD, PVV, and Chega. Insights from POLITICO reporters and political science professor on the rise of far-right movements in Europe.

It was a rare chance to see all the leading candidates from Europe's main political parties go head-to-head in a presidential-style debate to become the next head of the European Commission.With just over a month to go until the European Parliament election, eight politicians met in the Dutch city of Maastricht and spent an hour and a half answering questions on key issues such as climate change, defense and European democracy.If you missed it, don't worry — we've picked out the key moments and some of the more heated exchanges. Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by colleagues POLITICO's editor at large Nicholas Vinocur and Barbara Moens, chief EU correspondent and co-moderator of the debate. They give us their take on who won, who lost, and how it all went down. Did anyone manage to impress a room full of university students and over a quarter of a million people watching the debate online? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since the 2019 election this European Parliament has had to deal with various challenges, from Brexit and Covid-19 to the war in Ukraine and scandals such as Qatargate. At the same time it has managed to legislate on key issues such as climate change, AI and migration.In this episode we look back at the highs and lows of the EU legislature's last five years.Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by a roundtable of POLITICO colleagues: data reporter Hanne Cokelaere; sustainability reporter Louise Guillot; editor at large Nicholas Vinocur; policy editor Joanna Roberts; and European Parliament correspondent Eddy Wax. They share their experiences from covering the Parliament and weigh in on which of the bloc's 705 MEPs deserve POLITICO's 2024 unAWARDs.  Further reading:"The MEP unAwards 2024," by Politico staff"MEPs to watch in the next EU Parliament (if they get elected)," by Politico staff"The European Parliament by the numbers," by Hanne Cokelaere Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we unpack the EU's new buzzword and the main point of discussion at this week's European Council summit: competitiveness. We also bring you another new buzzword from Brussels this week: Bolshewokism.Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by POLITICO's chief Brussels correspondent, Barbara Moens, to recap the leaders' summit and their attempt to make the bloc's economy more competitive with regards China and the United States. We also discuss former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta's newly released report on how to overhaul the EU's single market, and we hear from Letta himself, in conversation with POLITICO's own Giovanna Faggionato.Later, we have a fascinating discussion with Atlantic Council senior fellow and author Elisabeth Braw about her new book "Goodbye Globalization: The Return of a Divided World."And we end our episode explaining how the word "Bolshewokism" came to describe a National Conservatism Conference, featuring Nigel Farage and Viktor Orbán, which was upended by local Brussels mayors.Further Reading:"Time for a European single market ‘with teeth’ to take on China, India, leaders told," by Giovanna Faggionato and and Bjarke Smith-Meyer"A new inconvenient truth: Europe’s global plans all require money no one has," by By Karl Mathiesen, Barbara Moens, Giovanna Faggionato and Giorgio Leali"Europe’s hard-right bags big win after ‘own goal’ by Brussels mayors," by Eddy Wax Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With just weeks to go until the European Parliament election, we're bringing you the state of play.Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by Elisa Braun, POLITICO's Brussels correspondent, and Nicholas Vinocur, POLITICO's editor at large, to discuss the many political challenges facing EPP lead candidate Ursula von der Leyen: "Pfizergate," "Piepergate" and the internal rebellion by a group of fellow commissioners.Later, a panel of keen election watchers — Eddy Wax, who covers the European Parliament for POLITICO, technology reporter Clothilde Goujard and Matteo Albania, communications director at Must Consulting — gives us an update on the new rules for online campaigning (aimed at fighting disinformation and AI-generated deepfakes) and takes stock of the campaign so far.Further reading:EU political parties promise to steer clear of deepfakes ahead of election by Clothilde GoujardEurope wields new tech law to protect EU election by Clothilde GoujardMacron ‘loved’ me sniping at von der Leyen, says French commissioner by Elisa Braun and Eddy WaxVon der Leyen struggles to quell revolt over controversial business envoy pick by Giovanna Faggionato, Nicholas Vinocur and Julia Wacket  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we unpack the growing urgency among EU leaders to defeat Russia's Vladimir Putin. Remember the old Latin saying: si vis pacem, para bellum (if you want peace, prepare for war)? We discuss what that might mean today.We also explain what's at stake in presidential runoff elections in Slovakia and round out our episode exploring why chocolate prices in Europe are skyrocketing and what "greedflation" has to do with it.Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by Barbara Moens, POLITICO's chief EU correspondent, Milan Nič, senior fellow for Central and Eastern Europe at the German Council on Foreign Relations and Alessandro Ford, agriculture reporter at POLITICO.Have a great spring break! We will be back in your feed on April 12.Further reading:"‘Broadening’ consensus on need to defeat Putin among EU leaders, says Lithuanian president," by Jacopo Barigazzi and Barbara Moens"Slovak president election: Pro-EU diplomat tops coalition stalwart in first round," by Tom Nicholson"Slovakia, the EU’s next rule of law headache," by Ketrin Jochecová and Nicolas Camut"Big Chocolate is conning you this Easter," by Alessandro FordAnd finally ...Have your say on Europe’s future at the third edition of the Maastricht Debate. On April 29 at 7 p.m. CET, Studio Europa Maastricht and POLITICO are organizing the debate that will put the candidates in line to lead Europe onstage and in front of the issues that matter to European youth. Find out more and register to watch the 2024 Maastricht Debate by clicking here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices