In this episode, we analyze what Poland's recent election means for its political future and EU relations — in conversation with journalist and historian Anne Applebaum. We also shed light on a troubling terrorist attack this week in Brussels. With a record turnout of over 74 percent, Polish voters decided they wanted change. They waved goodbye to the ultra-conservative, anti-EU Law and Justice government and handed power to the democratic opposition led by former prime minister and European...

In this episode of EU Confidential, POLITICO's Barbara Moens joins us to discuss the EU’s muddled response to the heinous attack on Israel in which Hamas killed over a thousand civilians and took dozens of people hostage, sparking outrage and disbelief. Then we turn our focus to Poland. Host Suzanne Lynch brings us up to date on the crucial general election this Sunday and its potential impact on the EU and Poland’s relationship with Brussels. We hear from POLITICO’s Jan Cienski in Warsaw,...

In this episode of the EU Confidential, we entertain the idea of Donald Trump returning to the White House in 2024 and what that would mean: for the EU, for the war in Ukraine and for transatlantic relations. The U.S. presidential election is more than a year away and Trump has yet to secure the Republican Party’s nomination; he's also facing a mountain of legal hurdles. But it's worth considering whether Europe is preparing or if it would be as shocked as it was in 2016 if Trump won...

In this episode of EU Confidential, we discuss an alleged bribery scheme to hand out Polish visas, which is rocking the country just weeks before general elections. Host Suzanne Lynch talks to POLITICO's Jan Cienski about the illegal scheme, which was operating from within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Warsaw, that allowed visas to be sold to thousands of migrants from Asia and Africa. While the Polish conservative government is trying to minimize the damage, Brussels and Washington are...

EU Confidential is in New York for the U.N. General Assembly, where leaders from around the globe are gathering to hash out some of the most pressing issues. Those range from the climate catastrophe to reform of the UN itself and Russia's war in Ukraine — it's the most action-packed week on the international diplomatic agenda.  To make sense of the big stories driving the talks at this year’s UNGA, host Suzanne Lynch is joined by Anne McElvoy – POLITICO’s executive editor and head of audio,...

In this bumper episode, we bring you the main takeaways from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's annual State of the European Union address, as well as reactions from members of the European Parliament.  The Commission president needed over an hour to highlight her key achievements and lay out plans for the coming months. Host Suzanne Lynch talks to POLITICO’s Chief Policy Correspondent Sarah Wheaton and together they break down the main points highlighted in the speech: the...

It's “back to school” week here in Brussels, so we're looking ahead to what policies will dominate the news in the coming months. Also, our special guest is Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani. Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by POLITICO’s Sarah Wheaton and Nick Vinocur to discuss big European issues and events to watch out for in coming weeks. And there are many: the State of the Union Address by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the race to get the top job at the European...

EU Confidential returns from its summer break, bringing you this episode from the European Forum Alpbach in Austria where the theme of a "bold Europe" has prompted discussions about Europe's internal as well as geopolitical challenges. Host Suzanne Lynch sits down with Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg to discuss his suggestion that the EU needs to rethink how it expands its membership to countries like Ukraine, Moldova and hopefuls in the Western Balkans — a debate heating up...

In this episode, we unpack what to expect in Brussels this August as EU decision making grinds to a halt. Also, we explore how extreme weather in Europe is weighing against tourism demands, and how politicians are responding. Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by Nicholas Vinocur, POLITICO's editor at large, and EU politics reporter Gregorio Sorgi. They explain the European Commission's "designated survivor" concept, which keeps the legislative body afloat thanks to a few (unlucky) commissioners...

We analyze the outcome of the recent elections in Spain and what it means for the country and the EU going forward. Also, we discuss the EU's proposal targeting SLAPPs — strategic lawsuits against public participation, which often target journalists and civil society activists. Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by POLITICO's Aitor Hernández-Morales to discuss the outcome of the Spanish election on July 23. Aitor explains the fascinating forces that shaped the final days of the campaign, why the...

In this packed episode, we explain the outcomes of this week's summit with Latin America, we debate whether Americans can hold key roles in EU institutions and discuss the power dynamics of the European Commission under Ursula von der Leyen. Host Suzanne Lynch is first joined by POLITICO's Nicholas Vinocur to discuss a story that's got everyone in Brussels talking this week: the controversy over the proposed appointment of a top U.S. anti-trust expert who's recently consulted for several Big...

Governments around the world have committed to end HIV by 2030. The target is known as the 95-95-95 goals — 95 percent of people living with HIV diagnosed and knowing their status, 95 percent of those linked to HIV treatment and care and 95 percent of those on treatment to be undetectable, therefore unable to pass the virus on. Innovative medications have already changed HIV infection from a deadly disease to a manageable chronic condition. But to end HIV entirely, we will need to invest in...

This week, we bring you the latest from Vilnius as NATO leaders wrap up a crucial meeting of the defense alliance, plus all the news from Strasbourg as MEPs clash over an EU proposal to protect biodiversity. Joining our host Suzanne Lynch from the Lithuanian capital is Jan Cienski, who breaks down the outcomes of the summit — including the latest on Ukraine's membership ambitions and the thorny question of security guarantees. He also explains Turkey's crucial role in unblocking Sweden's bid...

There’s one key weapon that would be a gamechanger in the fight to end HIV transmission in Europe by 2030 – a cure. Forty years after scientists in Paris identified the virus that caused AIDS, we still don't have one. But, given that certain populations in Europe still don't have access to existing prevention, testing and treatments, there's a big question looming over the race for a cure: If it's ever found, will Europe get it to those who need it most? In this live recording of EU...

This week's EU Confidential comes to you from Madrid as Spain takes over the six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union. Spain's stint in the rotating chair has been overshadowed by a national election, with Spaniards set to go to the polls on July 23. The podcast team takes the political temperature among voters in the suburb of Alcorcón along with POLITICO's Jakob Hanke Vela, while political scientist Pablo Simón unpicks some of the political dynamics at play ahead of the...

Activists have worked for years to eliminate HIV-associated stigma. But within multiple European countries, people are still prosecuted for transmitting HIV. Despite clear guidance from HIV organizations emphasizing the harms associated with criminal prosecutions of these cases, countries continue to make offenders out of people who have transmitted HIV. POLITICO's Ashleigh Furlong speaks to James, a man who's experienced the impact of HIV criminalization first-hand. We also hear from Edwin...

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 27 leaders are discussing topics ranging from security guarantees for Ukraine, to migration and the bloc's position on China. But recent news out of Russia has many concerned about instability in the region. POLITICO's senior reporters Lili Bayer and Jacopo Barigazzi sit down with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda to discuss his concerns about potential Wagner...

In the first episode of our EU Confidential: In Focus mini-series on HIV in Europe, we take you inside a French prison successfully tackling the spread of the disease. POLITICO's Sarah-Taïssir Bencharif and Cristina Gonzalez head to Montpellier to meet the medical team at Maison d’arrêt de Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone. Doctor Fadi Meroueh, the head of the prison’s clinic, explains the innovative protocols and medicines they've put in place to limit the spread of HIV among prisoners, as well as...

This week’s EU Confidential episode comes to you from London, where the Ukraine Recovery Conference has just wrapped up. Ukraine may still be fighting a war, but already a conversation has started about how to rebuild the country. It’s a mammoth task — the price tag is already a cool $411 billion, according to the World Bank, United Nations and European Commission — a figure that will only increase as the war grinds on.  Suzanne caught up with European Commission Executive Vice-President...

This week's episode dives deep into artificial intelligence — and how the EU is responding to this rapidly developing technology. Host Suzanne Lynch joins listeners from Strasbourg as the European Parliament took a major step forward this week on turning the EU's sweeping legislation, the Artificial Intelligence Act, into reality. We hear directly from European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton on the origins of this act, and its aims — and he addresses the criticism that it...

In this bumper edition, we explain what's behind recent large protests in Poland, why some in Brussels want to stymie Hungary in the EU decision-making process and we take you along on a new night train route from Berlin to Brussels. Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets in Poland at the weekend — expressing their anger at the ruling conservative government. POLITICO's Senior Policy Editor Jan Cienski explains what's driving these protests ahead of elections in Poland later...

This week's episode comes to you from the second meeting of the European Political Community in the Moldovan capital of Chișinău.  With over 40 heads of state and government invited to attend, host Suzanne Lynch discusses what's at stake for the European continent with senior France Correspondent Clea Caulcutt. We dive into the prospects for countries like Moldova and Ukraine to join the EU, as well as other issues that have bubbled up in recent days, including clashes in North Kosovo. On...

This week, we debate the EU's latest attempt to combat foreign influence with its forthcoming "Defence of Democracy package," which some in Brussels claim could result in unintended consequences. POLITICO's Suzanne Lynch speaks to the European Commission’s special adviser on foreign interference, Ivana Karásková, a Czech academic and expert on Chinese influence. She provides insight into the degree of foreign influence in the European Union. She also explains the rationale behind a specific...

This week, we dive into the political upheaval in Bulgaria and the resignation of the country's EU Commissioner Mariya Gabriel. And we begin our spotlight series on the European Parliament, as the dates for elections next year are finalized. Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by Christian Oliver, POLITICO's head of news, and Antoaneta Roussi, our cybersecurity reporter and Bulgaria expert. They reveal how Bulgaria’s mafia state is reaching its breaking point and why these rapid political changes...

This week, the focus is on Turkey and what's at stake in elections happening May 14. We also hear from British writer and scholar Hugh Pope, who has written extensively on modern Turkey and tackles the long-standing issue of EU accession. Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by POLITICO's Head of News Christian Oliver and Turkish journalist Elçin Poyrazlar. They discuss tensions on the ground as election day approaches and the possible fall-out should incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan lose....