Best Ff55 Podcasts (2024)

1
Can Europe rely on private capital to achieve its goals? 12:40

4h ago12:40

12:40

It’s no secret that Europe is facing some of the biggest challenges in its history, from the digital and green transition to climate adaptation and mitigation, along with the need to boost its security and defence resources and enhance its competitiveness. But how does Europe plan to fund its ambitious plans? In this episode, we are joined by Thoma…

1
Power moves in EU Parliament: Committee claims and chair votes 12:48

1d ago12:48

12:48

It’s a busy summer for the European Parliament, with this week seeing the formation of committees and MEPs voting on the committee chairmanship on Tuesday (23 July). The major political groups in Parliament are already staking their claims on committees that align with their policy proposals, and are collaborating to create a cordon sanitaire, ensu…

1
Unpacking the European Commission’s Political Guidelines 11:44

40m ago11:44

11:44

As Ursula von der Leyen worked to get re-elected for a second mandate at the European Commission's helm, she offered concessions across the political spectrum and these tactical negotiations have largely shaped the Commission's next mandate. But what does her manifesto entail, and which points will von der Leyen truly prioritise? In this episode, h…

1
Ursula von der Leyen: round two 14:18

1h ago14:18

14:18

Ursula von der Leyen convinced 401 members of the European Parliament to vote in her favour, out of 707. This time, she was re-elected as Commission President with a 41-vote lead, emerging from the first plenary with a stronger mandate. Before the vote, von der Leyen delivered a lengthy speech reaching out to centrist and left-wing parties, while e…

1
UK PM Keir Starmer hosts his first European Political Community Summit 11:35

3h ago11:35

11:35

Today (17 July) marks new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's debut on the international political scene as he hosts the European Political Community (EPC) Summit, where 50 leaders from all over the world will discuss a hot list of topics, including rebuilding closer ties between the UK and the EU, four years after Brexit. In this episode, host G…

1
Everything we know about the first Strasbourg plenary 11:46

6h ago11:46

11:46

Newly elected and re-elected members of the European Parliament gather in Strasbourg for the first plenary session of the new mandate. Roberta Metsola has been re-elected as President of the European Parliament, but all eyes are on Ursula von der Leyen and her re-election as Commission President. What makes this plenary session so crucial, and what…

1
Does the EU need a second parliament in Strasbourg? 12:17

12m ago12:17

12:17

Exorbitant costs, carbon emissions, and time management are some of the reasons for scrapping the monthly commute of the entire European Parliament to Strasbourg, according to advocates of the idea. However, the dual residency of the institution is deeply rooted in European history and is actively supported by activists in the French city. In this …

1
‘Heat under your feet’ tops Hungarian EU Council presidency’s energy agenda 13:24

14h ago13:24

13:24

Although geothermal energy is a small part of the EU’s renewable energy mix, it has significant potential as a stable and local source in the bloc’s quest for energy independence. The issue has now been revived under the Hungarian EU presidency, which began at the start of July, as EU energy ministers meet to discuss this type of energy on Monday (…

1
The rise of three far-right groups in the European Parliament 13:50

1d ago13:50

13:50

The European Parliament, the biggest democratic institution in the world, now features three far-right groups. Two of them, Patriots for Europe and Europe of Sovereign Nations, emerged only this week, from the ashes of failed alliance negotiations. Why couldn’t the far right unite, and what does their failure to form a single bloc mean for the Euro…

1
Inside Hungary’s turbulent first ten days leading the EU Council Presidency 15:31

2d ago15:31

15:31

EU ambassadors met yesterday (July 10th) to prepare a joint response after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s unexpected visit to see Putin as part of a 'peace mission'. The friendly nature of the discussions between the two leaders in Moscow upset EU ambassadors, as Hungary used the European Council presidency’s logo in background communicati…

1
Unity, Ukraine and the future of NATO at the DC Summit 13:53

3d ago13:53

13:53

This week all eyes are on the NATO summit taking place in Washington DC, marking the military alliance’s 75th anniversary with a collective message about unity. NATO leaders will discuss various topics, but the elephant in the room is the potential membership of Ukraine. But what other issues will be on the agenda, and which factors challenge NATO’…

1
EU rockets back into the space competition 13:25

4d ago13:25

13:25

Today the European Union launches a rocket into space, for the first time since the war in Ukraine began. Named Ariane 6 it symbolises a renewed hope that Europe will gain ground in the new space race. But the challenges ahead are plenty. Can Europe catch up? In this episode, host Giada Santana and science freelance journalist Senne Starckx discuss…

1
A French 'non' to the far right 11:27

5d ago11:27

11:27

Defying expectations the French left-wing coalition, the New Popular Front, overtook Marine Le Pen’s National Rally, coming first during the second and final round of France’s snap elections on Sunday (7 July). The left-wing coalition, however, has not secured an absolute majority, therefore questions arise about who will be the country’s next prim…

1
Will European Commission let AI providers write their own rules? 11:52

8d ago11:52

11:52

Despite the EU’s attempts to keep up with the breakneck speed of AI's progress, NGOs fear the bloc is taking a step back in the demanding fight to regulate the technology. Reports suggest that the European Commission plans to assign the delicate task of drafting codes of practice for OpenAI and other general providers to industry actors themselves,…

1
What do the UK elections mean for the EU? 12:36

9d ago12:36

12:36

UK citizens head to the polls today for a general election widely expected to end the 14 years of Conservative rule and return the Labour Party to power, prompting questions about what it will mean for the EU-UK relations and why - while Europe is shifting to the right - the UK is turning left. To understand the implications of the vote, the major …

1
Von der Leyen battles for Parliament support, Orbán forms far-right group 15:30

10d ago15:30

15:30

Ursula von der Leyen is campaigning to secure a second term as Commission president after her party's success in the European Parliament elections and her nomination by EU leaders. She is negotiating with key groups, including the Socialists, the liberals, and the Greens, to secure the 361 votes needed for her confirmation in Parliament. At the sam…

1
Are EU countries at risk of missing EU climate targets? 12:20

11d ago12:20

12:20

Sunday (30 June) marked the deadline for EU countries to submit their National Energy and Climate Plans (NECP), outlining how each member state will deliver domestically on the EU’s emission goals by 2030. However, only a handful of countries have met the deadline so far. Is the EU at risk of missing its climate neutrality target? In this episode, …

1
French far-fight defeats Macron’s centrists 12:57

12d ago12:57

12:57

The French headed to the polls to decide on their next government after President Emmanuel Macron announced a snap election a few weeks ago. Jordan Bardella’s far-right Rassemblement National emerged victorious in this first round of legislative elections, with a record score of 34%. But what signals is this result sending ahead of the definitive s…

1
Can Meloni always get what she wants? 10:36

16d ago10:36

10:36

Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni has successfully leveraged her exclusion from the EU top job talks to reinforce her party's Eurosceptic narrative and position herself as a champion against the EU's elitism. But how is her strategy playing out in Brussels? In this episode, host Giada Santana and Euractiv Italy's Alessia Peretti discuss what Me…

1
EU leaders to decide on top jobs, agenda for next term 11:48

17d ago11:48

11:48

EU leaders are gathering in Brussels as of Thursday (26 June) for the last summit under the current mandate, to seal the deal on the distribution of the bloc's top jobs following the June European elections. At the same time, they will be addressing a swath of key policy issues for the EU and agree on the EU's strategic agenda, a policy plan that s…

1
Hungary’s plan to 'make Europe great again' begins 11:17

18d ago11:17

11:17

"Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer" is a saying that feels particularly relevant in Brussels as Hungary prepares to take over the presidency of the European Council—one of the EU's most crucial brokering positions—in less than a week. From the choice of a provocative motto to its declared priorities, Budapest appears unafraid of esca…

1
Everything we know about the Draghi report 16:56

19d ago16:56

16:56

The forthcoming report by former Italian prime minister and former European central bank president, Mario Draghi, on the future of European competitiveness is a valuable opportunity to shape the EU policy agenda for the coming EU legislative term and beyond. The report will focus on the EU's aim to leverage its numerous strengths and competitive ad…

1
Why EU countries are flirting with Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda migration model 15:45

20d ago15:45

15:45

The promise of halting migration to Europe has been at the heart of centre-right and far-right parties' election campaigns across the EU for June's elections. While the strategy worked and garnered wide public approval, voters are now expecting politicians to deliver and leaders are looking beyond the EU for solutions. In this episode, host Giada S…

1
Are national conservatives in ECR aiming for a top job or political power play? 12:30

23d ago12:30

12:30

The European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) announced on Wednesday they've overtaken the liberal Renew group to become the third-largest political group in the European Parliament. This shake-up impacts the negotiations for EU top jobs as - at least in theory - it makes the ECR entitled to one of them. But is ECR really interested in one of the…

1
From political woes to economic ones: The first roaring week of France's election campaign 13:18

24d ago13:18

13:18

France's budget has breached EU fiscal rules, according to the European Commission’s latest report. In response, the Elysée has until September to present a plan to quell Brussels’s fears over its growing budget deficit and its high levels of debt. The excessive deficit procedure's timing could not be worse — France is going through an unexpected p…

1
EU political groups play high-stakes game of musical chairs 14:27

29d ago14:27

14:27

The work of the new EU legislature unofficially kicks off in Brussels as per the post-election choreography. Freshly elected members of the European Parliament are now confronted with the choice to join existing political groups or form new ones. Groups have less than a month, until July 15th, to recruit newcomers and get re-grouped for the first E…

1
Disputed Nature Restoration Law finally gets approved in Council 14:08

26d ago14:08

14:08

Members of the EU now have to respect legally binding targets, regarding national efforts to restore degraded land and sea ecosystems, compiling with the newly endorsed Nature Restoration Law. It was highly politically controversial, with the text risking failing to be approved multiple times in the past few months. Austrian Environment Minister Le…

1
What leaders will discuss at European Council's dinner 11:02

30d ago11:02

11:02

Today, the heads of state and government of the 27 European Union member states will meet at an informal European Council dinner, and one of the topics on the agenda will be who will take the EU top jobs. The meeting comes at a crucial time, just after the European Parliament Elections which have shaken up the balance of power and will see new, and…

1
Europe’s new tariffs against China: If you want peace, prepare for trade war 15:22

30d ago15:22

15:22

The European Commission announced new trade tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles on Wednesday (12 June), in the hope of opening negotiations with China. So far, the anticipated decision has only managed to irk Beijing's ire. Will Europe’s move trigger an expensive domino effect for its industrial market? In this episode, host Giada Santana and econ…

1
Who will show up for the farmers? 12:30

1M ago12:30

12:30

Farmers and the agricultural sector were one of the key issues in the political debate before the European elections. With the vote now behind us, we’re looking into what the new parliamentary composition means for the sector in this mandate. Who will sit on the Agri committee and will the electoral promises to farmers be kept? To shed some light o…

1
Will German far right AfD drop scandal-plagued leader in bid to rejoin ID? 12:22

1M ago12:22

12:22

Despite a series of recent scandals, Germany's far-right AfD party achieved its best national result in history in the European elections on Sunday (9 June). However, the internal situation doesn’t look as rosy: AfD's lead candidate Maximilian Krah, implicated in various scandals, will not be included in its EU delegation, as the party hopes this c…

1
Navigating through France’s political storm 13:48

1M ago13:48

13:48

On Sunday night, Emmanuel Macron called for snap elections. The decision follows the European election results, which confirmed the victory of Rassemblement National and the clear defeat of the president’s party, Renaissance. Can Macron's surprise political gamble halt the growing success of the far right? In this episode, host Giada Santana and re…

1
All that changed on election night 11:25

1M ago11:25

11:25

More than 360 million European citizens had the right to vote in this weekend's European Parliament elections. Across Europe, the overall turnout was around 51%, and the results had knock-on effects on individual countries. Who were the big winners according to the latest exit polls, who were the losers, what happens with the non-affiliated, and in…

1
How national concerns drive European elections in Slovakia, Czechia, Latvia and Malta 15:53

1M ago15:53

15:53

European elections often reflect national concerns. Slovakia, Czechia, Latvia and Malta are no exception. In this episode, journalists Aneta Zachova, Liene Lusite and Alice Taylor explain turnout trends, projections and what drives the electoral campaign in the latest countries to close their polls.By Euractiv

1
Ireland heads to the polls and achieves a relatively high turnout 10:59

1M ago10:59

10:59

On the second day of the European elections, the Irish and the Czech went to the polls to decide who they want to represent them in the upcoming European Parliament. Although the turnout in Ireland was relatively high, the exit polls weren’t published, while the Czechs will be voting today as well. To better understand how the Irish voted, what the…

1
The Netherlands kicks off the European elections 12:37

1M ago12:37

12:37

The European elections have officially started. Yesterday, around 44 percent of Dutch citizens went to the ballot to cast their vote. We're here with the latest polls, projected seats, and all the highlights from last night. We're joined in the European Parliament by Rene Moerland, Euractiv’s publisher, with comments from Bas Eickhout, Spitzenkandi…

1
EU elections: Final projections before the vote 14:35

1M ago14:35

14:35

Today is the first day of the European elections, with citizens heading to the polls to determine who will sit in the new European Parliament, starting in the Netherlands and continuing in other EU countries until Sunday 9th of June. As the elections start, we present the latest projections from our polling partner, Europe Elects, on voting trends,…

1
The challenges each party faces ahead of the EU elections 15:16

2M ago15:16

15:16

This week, EU citizens will decide who will sit in the European Parliament for the next five years. Continuing our election coverage, today we’re focusing on the EU parties, the big political families behind our national ones, and their challenges. Who are these parties exactly and what are the obstacles they face? To understand better who the big …

1
Breaking down the obscure jargon of EU institutions 15:03

1M ago15:03

15:03

If 'Bad English' has become the unofficial language of the European Union, it is in large part because its building blocks are acronyms, abbreviations, and insider references that have turned communication among politicians, analysts, and lobbyists in Brussels into an obscure and dense vernacular. Euractiv's Global Europe editor Alexandrea Brzozows…

1
The EU Commissioners guessing game 11:44

1M ago11:44

11:44

With the EU elections just days away, speculations about the EU Commissioners are growing louder. If the new European Commission president is selected by July, they'll have the summer to form their College of Commissioners from the nominated candidates. But who is staying, who is going, and who are the new entries? To understand better what is happ…

1
How close is Ukraine to joining the EU? 13:16

1M ago13:16

13:16

Diplomats are racing against time to open negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union before Hungary takes over the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU on 1 July. Hungary, whose leader Viktor Orban has close ties to Russia, might try to kill or stall the deal. Will EU member states succeed? Global Europe’s editor Alexandra Br…

1
On the campaign trail with socialist frontrunner Nicolas Schmit 16:02

1M ago16:02

16:02

The current EU Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Luxembourg's Nicolas Schmit, is touring EU member states to rally support for socialist parties and strengthen his party's standing ahead of June's EU elections. Our politics reporter Max Griera, who followed Schmit on the campaign trail, joined us to explain what happened during the tour and …

1
The future of the far right in Europe, viewed from France 14:20

2M ago14:20

14:20

In the face of a deeply divided left, the French National Rally's grab for power is easier than many might expect. How is the party reshaping the influence of the far-right at the European level? We sat down with Paris correspondent Theo Bourgery-Gonse to put French dynamics into the European context.…

1
Greens position themselves as alternative to far-right, focus on security and defence 11:58

2M ago11:58

11:58

As the European Parliament elections approach, the Greens are broadening their focus beyond environmental policies to address issues that resonate more with the general electorate, like security, defence, and housing. They are also positioning themselves as the sole alternative to the far-right, which has heavily politicised climate change in a bid…

1
Why authoritarian leaders are on the rise, according to the latest UN report 15:39

2M ago15:39

15:39

Around the globe, the number of citizens who show unwavering support for democracy is on the rise but there are also more and more of those voting for leaders who may undermine democracy. Today, for the first time ever, more than half of the global population supports such leaders. We spoke to United Nations Development Programme's Pedro Conceiçao …

1
Will the new Dutch coalition fight the EU or seek solutions? 16:53

2M ago16:53

16:53

Four Dutch parties, including Geert Wilders’ far-right Party for Freedom, have agreed on a government programme emphasising nationalism and a tougher stance on Europe. They plan to seek opt-outs from some European policies, particularly migration, despite knowing these efforts will likely fail. Does this mean they’re going for a strategy of confron…

1
EU elections candidates clash over what’s best for European economy 15:54

2M ago15:54

15:54

Candidates across the political spectrum are meeting twice this week to confront their adversaries and share on a public stage,their vision for Europe. So, what did they have to say about the state of the EU economy, and what are their priorities for the next mandate? In the latest episode of Today in the EU, we sat down with Euractiv’s Economy Rep…

1
How Fico’s assassination attempt sparked debate on political violence 11:53

2M ago11:53

11:53

Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot five times on 15 May in an assassination attempt that shocked Europe. The attack has brought the issue of violence against politicians back into the discourse and raised some questions about Slovakia as well: What is the current state of the Slovak political scene and how can stability be achieved? To …

1
Which European states stand with Palestine? 11:45

2M ago11:45

11:45

As Israel widens the scope of its invasion of Gaza to the southern city of Rafah, four EU countries might soon officially recognize the state of Palestine, in line with the long-touted proposal for a 'two-state solution' to the Israel-Palestine conflict. It is hard to tell whether the move will have any positive effect on ceasefire negotiations. Eu…

1
Albert Bourla: Who is the man behind the Pfizergate? 13:25

2M ago13:25

13:25

The Pfizergate scandal broke in 2021, revealing that during the pandemic, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had negotiated a contract for 1.8 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla via mobile phone texts that remain undisclosed to this day. Today, the case returns to the Belgian courts but the lingering questi…

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