Episódios

  • The rise of the centrist dads

    The rise of the centrist dads
    Apr 15 2026
    European ambassadors are gathering to prep for a leaders’ summit taking place in Cyprus next week. And yet again, the agenda will likely be dominated by geopolitical crises. Ian Wishart and guest co-host Ryan Heath explain how topics like the budget, enlargement and competitiveness are falling by the wayside as the bulk of the meeting will instead focus on the fallout of the Iran war. They also ask whether another leader will take over Viktor Orbán's role as the bad boy around the summit table. Next, centrist dads unite! We discuss how Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Canadian PM Mark Carney — running partners and friends who text each other regularly — are trying to build a new transatlantic alliance along with other middle powers. Also, Donald Trump’s backpedaling on a social media post that appeared to depict himself as Jesus Christ has us looking through the archives for other classic excuses used by politicians. Finally: The halloumi wars continue ... and Ryan weighs in with his cheesy take. Do you have any questions or comments for us? Sent them to our WhatsApp here or via +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    16 minutos
  • Inside Magyar’s grand bargain with the EU

    Inside Magyar’s grand bargain with the EU
    Apr 14 2026
    The EU may be saying goodbye to Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, but the system that empowered him and the problems he’s left behind are still very much in place. Today on the podcast, Ian Wishart and Nick Vinocur discuss what a new leader in Budapest means for issues like Russia sanctions and the €90 billion loan for Ukraine that Hungary has been blocking. Also on the pod, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has a vision of a vastly expanded European Union — but the bloc’s leaders are less enthusiastic. They fear the topic of enlargement will stoke support for far-right, populist parties. We unpack these concerns. Finally, we have some bad news for halloumi fans. Do you have any questions or comments for us? Sent them along to our WhatsApp here or via +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    15 minutos
  • After 16 years, Viktor Orbán loses

    After 16 years, Viktor Orbán loses
    Apr 13 2026
    It’s the end of an era: Hungary’s Viktor Orbán is on the way out after suffering a crushing defeat in Hungary’s general election. Péter Magyar, who will take his place as prime minister, is on course to win a supermajority in parliament. In this election special, host Ian Wishart speaks with reporter Max Griera who’s been at the victorious Tisza watch party in Budapest and Jamie Dettmer, our foreign affairs columnist, who’s also in the Hungarian capital. They discuss what Magyar’s victory means for the country following years of democratic backsliding and illiberal democracy. Plus, how this new leader might mend Budapest’s fractured relationship with Brussels — thanks in large part to Orbán’s obstructionism and pro-Russian stance. How do you feel about the results? Did you vote in the election? Send us your thoughts via WhatsApp here or via +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    15 minutos
  • Inside the campaign to unseat Orbán

    Inside the campaign to unseat Orbán
    Apr 10 2026
    Hungarians may be the ones voting this Sunday — but all EU citizens have something at stake in the outcome of the election. After years of obstructionism under PM Viktor Orbán, a new leader in Budapest could mark a turning point for the EU. But is Hungary's relationship with Brussels dominating the campaign domestically to the same extent it is internationally? On today’s episode, host Sarah Wheaton speaks with journalist Abigail Frizon (a former EU Confidential trainee) who is filming a documentary about the Hungarian election. She takes us inside the swell of support for the Tisza opposition party based on conversations she’s had with voters on the ground. Plus, she unpacks the top issues for Hungarians that may have been missed abroad. Then Sarah is joined by Nick Vinocur, our chief foreign affairs correspondent, who’s been reporting on growing calls to rethink the EU’s unanimous decision-making process. Do you have a question or a comment? Send us a WhatsApp message here or dial +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    38 minutos
  • Hungary’s election enters crucial final days

    Hungary’s election enters crucial final days
    Apr 9 2026
    It’s three days until the Hungarian election, and opposition leader Péter Magyar appears poised to end PM Viktor Orbán’s 16-year rule. If that happens, some in the Brussels bubble hope Magyar will take steps to improve Hungary’s strained relationship with the EU. But on today’s episode, host Zoya Sheftalovich and EU Policy Editor Sarah Wheaton explain why that won’t be easy — with the chore of unblocking billions of euros in frozen EU funds representing just one example. Then, the latest developments from the war in Iran suggest Europe may again be left footing the bill for controversial actions by U.S. President Donald Trump. Last, the Commission’s DiscoverEU initiative is offering free train passes to 18-year-olds who correctly answer a short quiz. Sarah tests Zoya on one of last year’s questions. Do you have a harrowing or pleasant train travel experience within Europe?Send us a WhatsApp message here or dial +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    14 minutos
  • Europe watches as Trump’s threats escalate

    Europe watches as Trump’s threats escalate
    Apr 8 2026
    Donald Trump’s threats to wipe out Iran’s “whole civilization” shocked the world. On the podcast today, host Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart, POLITICO’s senior EU politics editor, discuss the European reaction as the conflict in the Middle East spirals. Plus, NATO chief Mark Rutte is in Washington to meet the U.S. president, but what does he hope to achieve with so little consensus within the alliance? Next, we obtained documents that reveal the extent to which Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán is deepening ties with Russia. An agreement signed between the two countries last year includes cooperation in a diverse range of areas from energy to circus arts. Zoya and Ian discuss what implications, if any, these revelations could have for the upcoming election in Hungary. Finally, Australia has been trying to limit the use of social media for the under-16s — and it wants Brussels’ help to get Big Tech to comply. If you have questions or comments, you can reach us on our WhatsApp here or by dialing +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    16 minutos
  • Why EU foreign policy keeps getting stuck

    Why EU foreign policy keeps getting stuck
    Apr 7 2026
    EU foreign policy runs on unanimity — and it’s starting to break down. Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart unpack growing frustration with how the EU makes foreign policy, as divisions over Ukraine funding, Russia sanctions and the war in Iran expose the pitfalls of the veto. With calls — led by Germany and Sweden — mounting to scrap unanimity in foreign and security policy, the question is becoming harder to avoid: Can the EU still act together when it matters most? They also discuss the fallout from the war in Iran, which is already landing in Europe. Energy prices are rising, jet fuel shortages are starting to bite, and countries like Italy are moving independently to secure supplies — raising fresh questions about coordination inside the EU. And finally, Brussels faces a different kind of dilemma: What to do about fur. As the Commission prepares to respond to a citizens’ petition signed by more than 1.5 million people calling for an EU-wide ban, it looks set to stop short — despite a shrinking industry, mounting public pressure and warnings from its own scientific advisers. If you have questions or comments, you can reach us on our WhatsApp here or by dialing +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    16 minutos
  • Can Britain and the EU get a Brexit reset deal over the line?

    Can Britain and the EU get a Brexit reset deal over the line?
    Apr 3 2026
    Despite the war in Iran and its economic consequences preoccupying London and Brussels, much work is going on behind the scenes to strike a closer relationship between the U.K. and the European Union. Nearly a decade after Britain voted to leave the bloc, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has tasked his ministers with negotiating a post-Brexit reset that brings areas of the British economy in alignment with the EU in a bid to bring down prices and cut regulations on businesses. In this interview episode of EU Confidential, host Anne McElvoy talks to one of Starmer's closest allies, Nick Thomas-Symonds. The U.K. Cabinet Office Minister has been notching up the Eurostar hours back and forth to Brussels in a bid to strike a deal by the summer. Will he and his EU counterparts be able to agree a youth mobility scheme and alignment in key sectors of the economy or will their differences be too great to overcome? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    23 minutos