EU Confidential is a weekly European news and politics podcast published every Friday by POLITICO Europe. Each 30-minute episode features POLITICO’s analysis... more
While Donald Trump is filling out his top team, the EU faces a leadership vacuum. Thank Germany, where Chancellor Olaf... more
Europe’s energy system is entering a period of radical change. The net-zero transition will require a significant overhaul of our... more
There were 26 hearings and 72 hours of questions, answers and non-answers — and in the end, none of it... more
After Donald Trump’s election victory, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is breaking out the Champagne. Germany’s government, meanwhile, is breaking... more
For a fresh view of the U.S. election in its final days — and what it means for Europe — this... more
A vote that was supposed to be a slam dunk in favor of the EU turned into a nail-biter: barely... more
This week’s episode of EU Confidential is a show about nothing. As in: Brussels’ endless lame-duck inertia. Sure, there’s still lots... more
Buckle up. This week on the EU Confidential podcast, we’re talking cars. And a looming trade war. European Union countries are... more
In this week’s episode of EU Confidential, we tackle the complex forces shaping Europe’s future — where political shifts, migration... more
Volodymyr Zelensky has just four months. That’s the time left until U.S. President Joe Biden leaves office. After that, who... more
Live from Strasbourg… and Paris… and Berlin… and London, it’s EU Confidential. In this week’s episode, we catch you up... more
While Brussels has been obsessed recently with the “Draghi report,” that’s NOT the topic of this week’s episode. We will,... more
It’s been a particularly chaotic rentrée for Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. In this week’s episode of EU Confidential, we talk... more
In this episode of EU Confidential, we speak to Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Anne Applebaum. Her latest book, "Autocracy Inc.," explores... more
In this episode, host Sarah Wheaton is joined by Alessandro Ford, POLITICO’s agriculture reporter, to unpack how the prospect of... more
While the podcast takes a little break, we bring this insightful episode back into your feed — unpacking details of... more
On our summer break, we're bringing this episode from January back into your feed by popular demand, looking at a... more
Brussels might seem empty, but high-stakes games are afoot behind the scenes. From air-conditioned government suites (and the occasional vacation villa), leaders... more
Is American politics giving you whiplash? This week’s episode of EU Confidential has all you need to cope, with primers... more
Big decisions awaited the new class of MEPs this week: Whether to back Ursula von der Leyen for a second... more
Just days into his country's rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orbán again... more
France has voted and the results are in — our POLITICO team in Paris discusses the surprising results of the... more
Just days before the final round of France's snap parliamentary elections, we discuss possible scenarios for what could emerge from... more
Straight from the European Council summit, we bring you the latest news and analysis on a range of tough issues... more
Almost two weeks after the EU election, there is still a lot of political manoeuvring going on — both in... more
As the EU comes to terms with its new (sort of) political reality following last weekend's European Parliament election, France... more
As election result projections were revealed on Sunday evening, our EU Confidential team recorded a live episode with first reactions... more
As voting gets underway throughout the EU, we check in on the polls and learn which stories are dominating the... more
With just a week to go until the European election and the campaign in full gear, we're focusing on how... more
This is your essential (and entertaining!) guide to the upcoming European election — everything you've wanted to know but been... more
Ursula von der Leyen made a promise this week: if she secures another term as president of the European Commission,... more
As recent national elections in several European countries have shown, far-right voters no longer fit the stereotype of the angry,... more
It was a rare chance to see all the leading candidates from Europe's main political parties go head-to-head in a... more
Since the 2019 election this European Parliament has had to deal with various challenges, from Brexit and Covid-19 to the... more
In this episode we unpack the EU's new buzzword and the main point of discussion at this week's European Council... more
With just weeks to go until the European Parliament election, we're bringing you the state of play. Host Sarah Wheaton is... more
In this episode, we unpack the growing urgency among EU leaders to defeat Russia's Vladimir Putin. Remember the old Latin... more
As EU leaders received a stark warning about the climate risks facing the bloc, the European Commission caved to farmer... more
Portugal's snap election has brought seismic change — the Socialists are now in opposition and the center-right Democratic Alliance, which... more
On this bumper edition of EU Confidential, we take you inside the two-day European People Party's Congress in Bucharest. Host Sarah... more
With less than 100 days until the European Parliament election, we bring you the state of play. Also, we hear... more
As we mark two years of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we take stock of how the war has changed... more
Donald Trump has again sent shockwaves across Europe with comments suggesting that he would encourage Russia to invade NATO countries... more
Europe is waking up to the urgent need to strengthen its own defenses — especially as Donald Trump seems poised... more
As farmer protests continue around Europe, we unpack their various concerns and analyze their impact on the European election. We... more
In this episode we look at a crisis that is affecting many Europeans in most EU countries: skyrocketing rents and... more
After seven years of bitter wrangling, the EU has finally reached an agreement on how to handle migration — one... more
In this episode we look at the ongoing tug-of-war between Budapest and Brussels in the context of a rather shocking... more
This isn't just any new year — 2024 in the political calendar means mega elections in Europe, the U.S., the... more
Our last episode of 2023 is a bumper edition, reviewing some of the key stories that drove the conversations in... more
In this episode, we revisit the huge corruption scandal which shook the European Parliament and the EU bubble exactly one... more
This week, we take you inside our POLITICO 28 unveiling of Europe's most powerful people and unpack Commission President Ursula... more
Far-right leader Geert Wilders came out on top in the Dutch election this week, sending shock waves through Brussels and... more
Oil, gas and coal still made up 81.5 percent of the global energy mix in 2022 — down just 3... more
Ending months of political paralysis, we bring you up to speed on the turmoil in Spain that has left Pedro... more
The EU made important steps this week toward bringing new members into the bloc — our POLITICO team explains in... more
It has been a big week for the world's key players in the race to regulate AI development and make... more
Coming to you directly from the European Council summit, our POLITICO team brings you the very latest on a range... more
In this episode, we analyze what Poland's recent election means for its political future and EU relations — in conversation... more
In this episode of EU Confidential, POLITICO's Barbara Moens joins us to discuss the EU’s muddled response to the heinous... more
In this episode of the EU Confidential, we entertain the idea of Donald Trump returning to the White House in... more
In this episode of EU Confidential, we discuss an alleged bribery scheme to hand out Polish visas, which is rocking... more
EU Confidential is in New York for the U.N. General Assembly, where leaders from around the globe are gathering to... more
In this bumper episode, we bring you the main takeaways from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's annual State... more
It's “back to school” week here in Brussels, so we're looking ahead to what policies will dominate the news in... more
EU Confidential returns from its summer break, bringing you this episode from the European Forum Alpbach in Austria where the... more
In this episode, we unpack what to expect in Brussels this August as EU decision making grinds to a halt.... more
We analyze the outcome of the recent elections in Spain and what it means for the country and the EU... more
In this packed episode, we explain the outcomes of this week's summit with Latin America, we debate whether Americans can... more
Governments around the world have committed to end HIV by 2030. The target is known as the 95-95-95 goals —... more
This week, we bring you the latest from Vilnius as NATO leaders wrap up a crucial meeting of the defense... more
There’s one key weapon that would be a gamechanger in the fight to end HIV transmission in Europe by 2030... more
This week's EU Confidential comes to you from Madrid as Spain takes over the six-month presidency of the Council of... more
Activists have worked for years to eliminate HIV-associated stigma. But within multiple European countries, people are still prosecuted for transmitting... more
Our slightly-later edition of this week's EU Confidential comes to you from on-the-ground at the European Council — where the EU's... more
In the first episode of our EU Confidential: In Focus mini-series on HIV in Europe, we take you inside a... more
This week’s EU Confidential episode comes to you from London, where the Ukraine Recovery Conference has just wrapped up. Ukraine may... more
This week's episode dives deep into artificial intelligence — and how the EU is responding to this rapidly developing technology. Host... more
In this bumper edition, we explain what's behind recent large protests in Poland, why some in Brussels want to stymie... more
This week's episode comes to you from the second meeting of the European Political Community in the Moldovan capital of... more
This week, we debate the EU's latest attempt to combat foreign influence with its forthcoming "Defence of Democracy package," which... more
This week, we dive into the political upheaval in Bulgaria and the resignation of the country's EU Commissioner Mariya Gabriel.... more
This week, the focus is on Turkey and what's at stake in elections happening May 14. We also hear from... more
As the EU defense industry gets the green light to ramp up ammunitions production, we hear from former Commanding General... more
"We have created the best Europe there has ever been" — so says Timothy Garton Ash, this week's special guest.... more
We're back from a break and straight into tackling the geopolitical tensions that underlie a sudden ban on Ukraine's grain... more
This week, Finland joins NATO while Ukraine's foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, joins us here in the POLITICO studio to talk... more
The worst strikes and protests in decades bring both France and Germany to a standstill this week. Is this just... more
Coming to you from this week’s European Council summit in Brussels, competitiveness and the economy are high on the agenda,... more
We debate Germany's last-minute effort to derail EU plans to end the sale of combustion engines by 2035. And our... more
This week, we debate a controversy over travel rules for top EU officials and unpack what the European Commission president... more
This week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met King Charles III at Windsor Castle after a deal was... more
As we approach the one year mark of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU Confidential crew chronicles the historic... more
This week, we unpack some of the transparency issues plaguing the EU's top institutions, and our special guest is Eurogroup... more
Coming to you during Thursday's meeting of EU leaders, we discuss Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's (not so) surprise visit to... more
All eyes are on Ukraine as the EU's top officials visit Kyiv for a historic summit — the first to be... more
Our POLITICO team has the inside scoop on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's long-awaited decision to send Leopard 2 tanks to... more
The EU Confidential crew takes you inside this week's World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland where the world's rich and... more
It's Thursday morning and today we bring you bumper editions from Davos with our final episode of the week landing... more
It's Wednesday, and we're back with another episode from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. POLITICO's Suzanne Lynch, Alex Ward... more
As the World Economic Forum gets underway, we dive into the stories everyone is talking about on the Magic Mountain. POLITICO's... more
From Davos, Switzerland, the POLITICO crew unpacks the big global issues facing businesses, governments and international organizations as top leaders... more
This week, the EU Confidential crew travels to Stockholm to examine Sweden's domestic political challenges such as migration, crime and... more
It's a bumper edition to start the new year as we look ahead to the big stories likely to dominate... more
Our final episode of 2022 is a bumper edition featuring the latest news and analysis of the Qatar corruption scandal... more
This week's episode comes to you from the Albanian capital of Tirana where EU leaders met with Western Balkan hopefuls.... more
This week, we debate simmering industrial tensions in the EU over a new U.S. law. We also get an update... more
This week, we debate how Europe is grappling with Twitter since Elon Musk took the helm. We hear from Kyiv... more
The annual gathering of G20 leaders in Bali, Indonesia was overshadowed by a deadly incident in Poland. A missile struck... more
On this week's episode, host Suzanne Lynch in Brussels speaks with Karl Mathiesen, POLITICO's senior climate correspondent, at the COP27... more
As Americans head to the polls next week, we dive into transatlantic relations and the impact these elections could have... more
This week, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg discusses how the war in Ukraine has shaped the military alliance. We also dig... more
This week's episode comes to you from the heart of the European Quarter in Brussels, where the 27 EU leaders... more
In this episode, POLITICO's Suzanne Lynch breaks down the reaction to Russia's recent escalation in Ukraine with an update from... more
This week's EU Confidential comes to you from Prague Castle, where leaders of the EU's 27 countries held a historic... more
We discuss the implications of Italy's election last weekend and what its probable next prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, could mean... more
Coming to you from New York City, this bumper edition of EU Confidential brings you the highlights of the U.N.... more
Coming to you from Strasbourg, EU Confidential breaks down this week's big EU moment: the State of the Union address... more
New host Suzanne Lynch digs into the EU's plans to address its energy crisis. And Canadian Ambassador to the EU... more
Europe's #1 politics podcast returns on Thursday, September 8 with our new host, Chief Brussels Correspondent Suzanne Lynch. Every week, POLITICO... more
In this bumper edition before the summer break, we explain the monkeypox outbreak in Europe and the EU's response. We... more
We debate what the EU and its leaders can do to counter Russian propaganda, particularly in Africa, about the global... more
We dive into the politics of this week's hot topic — Europe's response to a devastating heat wave and how... more
Our POLITICO mobility team takes over this episode — unpacking the issues facing the travel industry this summer and what... more
As drama unfolds across the English Channel, we look at where things stand with the EU's migration policy and examine... more
Coming to you from the NATO summit in Madrid, our POLITICO team analyzes a packed week in international diplomacy and... more
Coming to you from the EU leaders' summit in the heart of Brussels, we discuss Ukraine's candidacy to join the... more
We explore more repercussions of the war in Ukraine, explain the latest dust-up between the U.K. and the EU and... more
We break down the controversy over a plan to unlock billions of euros in EU funds for Poland and debate... more
We unpack EU leaders' deal to ban Russian oil imports — with some notable exceptions after Hungary played hardball. And... more
This special edition of EU Confidential from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland drills into the question of whether... more
This bumper edition of Davos Confidential includes a debate on the death of globalization, the prospects of more countries joining... more
We hear exclusively from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the chance of clinching a sixth package of... more
This episode comes to you from the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland — featuring participants from business, government... more
We unpack Sweden and Finland's historic bids to join NATO, provide a POLITICO half-time report on the European Commission's performance... more
We debate some big ideas for the future of Europe and examine the state of Franco-German ties after recently-reelected French... more
We unpack the EU plan to ban Russian oil and wonder why Germany is so hung up on Ukraine's refusal... more
We take the long view on the success of Emmanuel Macron and the rise of Marine Le Pen, unpack an... more
In this special edition, we analyze the result of the French presidential election and its implications for France and for... more
We review the big clash between French presidential contenders Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen. And we unpack Germany's struggle... more
We analyze the latest from the French presidential campaign and hear Slovakian Prime Minister Eduard Heger's first-hand account of his... more
In this special edition, we unpack the results of the first round of the French presidential election, which saw Emmanuel... more
We preview this Sunday's presidential vote in France, discuss the latest Western responses to Russia's war in Ukraine and reflect... more
We recap Joe Biden's visit to Brussels for a series of summits focused on the war in Ukraine and get... more
We dive into the issues at the center of three Brussels summits dominated by Russia's war in Ukraine, as Joe... more
This week we examine China's role in the Ukraine crisis and unpack the latest EU efforts to bring the war... more
In this episode, we learn how the war in Ukraine is being reported inside Russia and unpack the confusion over... more
In this extended episode, we recap and reflect on the week that changed everything, for Europe and the world, after... more
This episode focuses entirely on Russia's war on Ukraine. We have reporting from inside Ukraine, news of the European response... more
We hear from our reporters in Moscow and Kyiv about the continued tensions over Ukraine. Our special guest is Heather... more
Macron in Moscow, Scholz in Washington: How did the French and German leaders do in their diplomatic missions in the... more
This week, a tale of two (very different) crises: the Partygate scandal threatening Boris Johnson and the continuing tension over... more
We take the temperature in the Baltics amid fears of a Russian attack on Ukraine and unpack how the U.K.... more
Roberta Metsola, the new president of the European Parliament, is our special guest. We also unpack French President Emmanuel Macron's... more
The coronavirus wave engulfing Europe and the West's standoff with Russia over Ukraine both feature in this episode. We also... more
We look at the big stories we expect to shape 2022 and suggest a few New Year’s resolutions for European... more
The podcast crew, Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz, Matthew Karnitschnig and Cristina Gonzalez, present audio clips that sum up some of... more
As Angela Merkel bows out after 16 years, we focus this episode on Germany's new government and its chancellor, Olaf... more
This week: the Omicron variant and its impact on Europe's coronavirus response, our editor-in-chief on China's approach to Europe and... more
Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg, France's Europe minister Clément Beaune and Dutch political theorist and author Luuk van Middelaar all feature... more
This week, we get the American perspective on European strategic autonomy and other issues facing the EU from Derek Chollet,... more
In this episode, we discuss Europe's coronavirus resurgence and the escalating migration crisis at the Polish border. Plus, we hear... more
The COP26 climate talks, a top European tech entrepreneur and a return to the question of whether the EU is... more
We preview two big weekend events: the G20 summit and the start of COP26 climate talks. We also discuss liberalism... more
We talk to Péter Márki-Zay, the man chosen by Hungarian opposition parties to take on Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Also... more
On the agenda this week: The EU's plans to tackle soaring energy prices, Sebastian Kurz's resignation as Austrian chancellor and... more
This week: The EU's place in the world — and the Western Balkans' place in the EU. And we dive... more
We dive into the aftermath of the German election and take a closer look at Olaf Scholz, the favorite to... more
In a special show from Berlin, the POLITICO team analyzes Germany's cliffhanger election, gauges the mood in the different camps,... more
We explore the defining moments of the German election campaign and debate the security-and-submarine deal between Australia, the United States... more
Ursula von der Leyen's State of the European Union address and the closing stages of the race to succeed Angela... more
The German election campaign's impact on EU policymakers is up for debate this week. And European Council on Foreign Relations... more
We debate whether Afghanistan's collapse moves the needle in Europe's long-running dilemma over building up its own military power. Plus,... more
In the wake of the withdrawal of western forces from Afghanistan, the EU is confronting renewed questions about its asylum... more
As the Taliban consolidate their hold over Afghanistan, we have reaction from around Europe to the U.S. decision to pull... more
We have all the recommendations you need for reading, listening and viewing to make the most of your summer holiday... more
The devastating floods in Western Europe are our top story this week: We hear from our reporter in the German... more
The political repercussions of Euro 2020, a massive package of European climate laws, and the first economic recovery plans approved... more
Slovenia's awkward start to its EU presidency and a look at why Russia has France fizzing over Champagne feature this... more
We unpack last week's extraordinary summit of EU leaders, take stock of the coronavirus situation in Europe and bring you... more
Hungary's anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, France's regional elections and U.K.-EU relations are all up for debate. And we hear from European Commission... more
We take stock of Joe Biden's visit to Europe and what it means for EU allies. And our special guest... more
Joe Biden's trip to Europe, an interview with Germany's transatlantic coordinator, the European Parliament's strange return to Strasbourg, and a... more
Claims that Denmark helped the U.S. spy on European leaders, demands for the EU to step up on defense and... more
The Belarus airliner drama and EU leaders' response, as well as a big bunfight over farm subsidies, are up for... more
European attitudes toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the foreign policy of Germany's conservative candidate for chancellor, and a chat with former... more
European leaders' cool reaction to a U.S. proposal to waive patents for coronavirus vaccines is up for debate this week.... more
Is media freedom in Europe under threat? Is the Continent ready to open up as the coronavirus abates? And how... more
Recovery fund masterplans, a power struggle among EU presidents and a deep dive into next week's Scottish Parliament election all... more
The candidates vying to be Germany's next chancellor, Europe's Super League football flop and battles over people's personal data all... more
European leaders' cool reaction to a U.S. proposal to waive patents for coronavirus vaccines is up for debate this week. We also... more