Brussels Playbook Podcast

The old global order is breaking down. Ursula von der Leyen thinks Europe may have to start building something new around it. In her State of the European Union speech, she floated closer ties with Canada — even “associate membership” — and a new European Security Council, as Europe looks for new ways to work with like-minded powers in an increasingly chaotic world. But both ideas immediately raised questions about whether von der Leyen was getting ahead of her own allies. Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by POLITICO Executive Editor Carrie Budoff Brown, senior EU climate reporter Zia Weise and AI and technology reporter Pieter Haeck to unpack what von der Leyen’s speech tells us about Europe’s search for a role in this new global “unorder.” They also look at her climate message — heavy on adaptation to heat, drought and fires, but lighter on new answers to Europe’s energy problems — and at her attempt to square AI regulation with the need to keep Europe in the global tech race. Questions? Comments? Let us know on our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. This episode was produced by Dionis Sturis and Saga Ringmar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney takes the stage in Strasbourg after Commission President Ursula von der Leyen surprised EU capitals by floating “associate membership” for Canada — a status that doesn’t actually exist, and that Ottawa itself seems reluctant to define. Zoya Sheftalovich and Sarah Wheaton ask whether von der Leyen got ahead of both member countries and the Canadians, and what Carney’s speech could tell us about how close the two sides really want to get. Then, Germany’s Friedrich Merz faces a potentially decisive weekend as pressure grows on his leadership. And finally, why is the EU still allowing plastic waste exports to Turkey despite its own assessment warning of serious environmental problems? Questions? Comments? Let us know on our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. Our audience survey is still live — we’d love to hear what you think about the pod. This episode was produced by Dionis Sturis and Saga Ringmar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special episode from Strasbourg, Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart give their first take on the State of the European Union speech delivered by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. They look at the push for a more independent Europe — from competitiveness to AI, climate, defense and Ukraine — as well as the ideas that could shape what comes next, including a European Security Council and a deeper partnership with Canada. Our audience survey is still live — we’d love to hear what you think about the pod. Questions? Comments? Let us know on our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is giving her State of the European Union address this morning ... her biggest set-piece speech of the year.  Host Zoya Sheftalovich is at the European Parliament in Strasbourg with her ears to the ground, trying to figure out which hot-button issues we can expect to hear about. Two of the biggest topics we’re almost sure she is going to talk about are plans to limit social media access for children and the challenges posed by the artificial intelligence industry. These issues, alongside migration, climate and defense are all likely to feature in the top-secret speech — oh, and the Commission president’s surprise guests, of course. We’ll be back later today after the speech is over to give you a snap analysis of everything that Ursula von der Leyen talked about. Our audience survey is still live — we’d love to hear what you think about the pod. Questions? Comments? Let us know on our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why is it easier for a jar of peanut butter to cross EU borders than it is for a European worker? According to the Commission, varying social security systems and professional qualifications make it hard for Europeans to work outside their home country in the bloc. The EU executive’s Fair Labour Mobility Package — unveiled today — aims to fix that. On today’s show, Zoya Sheftalovich and Nick Vinocur dissect the initiative. Next, NATO allies are debating a tougher response as Russian sabotage and hybrid attacks creep closer to home. And eight years after former Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker promised to stop Europe changing the clocks twice a year — why are we still doing it? Our audience survey is still live, and we’d love to hear what you think about the pod. Do you have something you want Ursula von der Leyen to mention in her State of the European Union speech? Let us know on our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. This episode was produced by Dionis Sturis and Saga Ringmar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Commission President Ursula von der Leyen gives her big State of the European Union speech on Wednesday, the topic of migration is likely to feature heavily. On today’s show, Zoya Sheftalovich and Nick Vinocur discuss the EU executive’s proposed new tool to counter “weaponized” migration — like we saw in Ceuta this summer. Plus, what do the results of the Swedish general election mean for the country’s migration policy? Next, a group of European leaders and senior EU officials are in Finland today, part of Brussels’ broader push to deepen its engagement in the Arctic as the region assumes greater geopolitical importance. Expect the Arctic to stay high on the EU agenda throughout the autumn. Finally: Zoya has been on a tap water crusade in Brussels ... and now, the results are in!  Our audience survey is still live and we’d love to hear what you think about the pod. The survey takes five minutes max and closes Sept. 18 — you can access it here. Otherwise you can contact us as always via WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. P.S. We’re going live again on Sept. 22. We’ll be recording the podcast in front of an audience as part of POLITICO’s Brussels Playbook Live event. You can register to attend here. This episode was produced by Saga Ringmar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered her State of the European Union speech last year, the backdrop was chaotic. Russian drones had just crossed into Polish airspace, Donald Trump was casting doubt on America’s commitment to NATO, and the Commission president herself was facing votes of no confidence. Her answer to this disarray? Europe, she said, was in a fight — and this was its “independence moment.” A year later, can we say that Europe met that moment? And is it winning the fight or losing it? To take stock of what the EU has achieved — and where it has fallen short — host Sarah Wheaton is joined by Senior EU policy editor Joanna Roberts, deputy tech editor Laurens Cerulus and Nick Vinocur, our chief foreign affairs correspondent. Plus, we want to hear from you! We have a survey out and would love to know what you like about the podcast and what we could do differently. The survey will take max five minutes — you can access it here. Otherwise, you can contact us as always via WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. This episode was produced by Dionis Sturis and Saga Ringmar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The U.S. is on a public campaign to dismantle the International Criminal Court. Now, it wants help from its NATO allies.  During a closed-door meeting back in July, U.S. envoy to NATO Matthew Whitaker asked allied countries for help in disassembling the international court that addresses genocide and crimes against humanity.  On the show, Sarah Wheaton and Kathryn Carlson discuss the European reaction and the motivations behind this American push. Next, Europe’s housing crisis is deepening. Sarah Wheaton spoke with the Commissioner tasked with tackling the problem, Dan Jørgensen. And criminal gangs in Europe are using AI to figure out where they can build their illegal tobacco factories to not get caught. Finally: We want to hear from you! We have a survey out and would love to know what you like about the podcast and what we could do differently. The survey will take max five minutes — you can access it here. Otherwise, you can contact us as always via WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. Plus: We’re going live again on Sept. 22. We’ll be recording the podcast in front of an audience as part of POLITICO’s Brussels Playbook Live event. You can register to attend here. This episode was produced by Dionis Sturis and Saga Ringmar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Relations between the EU and Israel have been deeply strained over the war in Gaza. But the bloc is struggling to withstand the allure of Israel’s tech and missile defense prowess. On today’s show, Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart discuss how EU capitals are looking again to Israel for cooperation on things like air defense, space and artificial intelligence. Our hosts explain why this is an awkward look for the bloc. Then, two years after Mario Draghi’s competitiveness report, we break down how much of his plan Europe has actually delivered. And finally: France’s brutal summer is hitting wine harvest ... is there another drink you’ll opt for instead? Let us know via WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. Plus: We’re going live again on Sept. 22. We’ll be recording the podcast in front of an audience as part of POLITICO’s Brussels Playbook Live event. You can register to attend here. This episode was produced by Dionis Sturis and Saga Ringmar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, wanted a group of heavyweight former leaders to come up with fresh ideas to address Europe’s defense gaps. Instead, the initiative was killed before it even launched. Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart look at why some capitals pushed back — and what the episode says about Kallas’ authority and the battle over who drives European defense policy. Then, European Council President Antonio Costa continues his tour of European capitals as negotiations over the EU’s next long-term budget get more concrete. And finally: could Ukraine and Poland make a joint bid to host the football World Cup? Plus: We’re going live again on September 22. We’ll be recording the podcast in front of an audience as part of POLITICO’s Brussels Playbook Live event. You can register to attend here. Question? Comment? Get in touch on WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. This episode was produced by Dionis Sturis and Saga Ringmar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a sweeping victory in the regional elections in Saxony-Anhalt, Ulrich Siegmund's Alternative for Germany (AfD) could be in a position to govern the state — putting a far-right party in power in part of Germany for the first time since World War II.  As Europe wakes up to the AfD win, Zoya Sheftalovich and Nick Vinocur talk to Head of Playbook Germany Hans von der Burchard about what it means for the rest of the country. Then, Zoya and Nick discuss what it means for Europe and beyond. What do you think this result means for your country? Get in touch on WhatsApp here, or at +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Spanish exclave of Ceuta on the North African coast is struggling to deal with a surge of unauthorized migrants. Over 70,000 arrived in a mass crossing from Morocco at the end of July, and although the numbers have fallen since then, police and the authorities are struggling with outbreaks of violence and criminality. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has faced protests in cities across the country, and the crisis poses a challenge for the European Union’s borders. Host Anne McElvoy talks to Tim Röhn, Senior Editor of the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network, who has reported extensively from Ceuta for POLITICO. Also on the podcast, could the far-right be on the verge of an electoral breakthrough in Germany? This weekend’s election in the Eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt could result in the Alternative for Germany forming a government, the first time a far-right party has tasted power since the Second World War. Anne has been on the road in the state, writing about how two chancellors, Merz and Merkel, have lost the old East. She's joined by Josef Forster, BILD’s politics editor, on what might follow for Germany's leadership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At the informal General Affairs Council in Dublin today, the EU’s next 7-year budget is set to dominate the agenda. The talks are still in deadlock over the size of the money pot ... but the red lines of various capitals are starting to take shape. On today’s episode, host Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart explain why — counterintuitively — that’s actually a step forward for the negotiations. Next, the pivotal regional election in Germany’s Saxony-Anhalt is just days away ... and the far-right AfD party is poised to win big. But just how big? And what would the party do if it manages to come to power? Finally, the EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, is considering a council of elders to help with the reform of the bloc’s foreign policy arm, the EEAS. Who do you think should be part of an expert group like this? Get in touch on WhatsApp here, or at +32 491 05 06 29. This episode was produced by Dionis Sturis and Saga Ringmar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The political center in the European Parliament is looking increasingly fragile. Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart look at a proposal from two senior German MEPs for the center-right EPP and the Social Democrats to strike a much more formal deal — as relations between the two groups deteriorate and the far right gains influence. Then: Europe says it needs giant data centers if it wants to compete in the AI boom. But who pays for them — and what happens when one arrives in your town? We look at the millions of euros governments are being asked to commit to Europe’s AI ambitions, and at the resistance to a massive Google data center in Austria. Plus, should the European Commission just be on TikTok if it wants to reach younger voters — or is trying to look young and hip more trouble than it’s worth? Question? Comment? Get in touch on WhatsApp here, or at +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brussels is getting increasingly worried about its economic relationship with Beijing ... but the bloc doesn’t want to bring out the big guns just yet. While the EU already has the infamous 'trade bazooka' at its disposal, the Commission is considering a new tool to address Chinese overcapacity and dangerous dependencies. Our colleague Camille Gijs has spoken with EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič to learn more. Hosts Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart discuss what he said in the interview. Next, EU defense ministers are meeting in Ireland today, and Ukraine is right at the top of the agenda. The big question will be whether the bloc can help ease Kyiv’s shortage of missile interceptors. And finally, is Europe’s most prominent right-wing think tank, MCC Brussels, imploding ... or is it morphing into something new? Question? Comment? Get in touch on WhatsApp here, or at +32 491 05 06 29. This episode was produced by Dionis Sturis and Saga Ringmar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Iceland has voted no to restarting membership talks with the EU in a referendum held over the weekend. While the yes camp had hoped rising global geopolitical tensions might sway voters, the fear of losing control over Icelandic fishing quotas proved decisive. So what does this result mean for the EU’s enlargement ambitions? Nick and Zoya discuss. Next, defense and foreign ministers prepare to meet in Ireland this week to talk Russia sanctions, support for Ukraine ... and overhauling the EU’s diplomatic arm.  And finally, move aside Italy, Greek coffee is making it big in Brussels. Do you have any favorite coffee shops in Brussels that we failed to mention on the show? Get in touch on WhatsApp here, or at +32 491 05 06 29. This episode was produced by Saga Ringmar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For 16 years, Viktor Orbán exerted an iron grip on Hungarian politics and society. Now it’s being dismantled. Has Hungary finally turned a page on the Orbán era, or could he make one final return?  It’s only a few days before Péter Magyar’s government, which succeeded Orbán, learns whether his anti-corruption reforms have done enough to persuade the European Commission to release €10.4 billion of frozen funds to help the country recover after the Covid pandemic. The money was withheld over breaches of EU law under Orbán, who suffered a landslide defeat at the polls in April. Host Anne McElvoy talks to János Bóka, who now leads Orbán’s Fidesz party from the opposition benches in the Hungarian Parliament. He was minister for European affairs in the previous government and is seen as a relatively moderate voice tasked with rebuilding a party reeling from defeat. Does he want to cast off an ousted strongman’s shadow – might Orban still be seeking to find a way back? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Canada is taking a much harder line against Donald Trump — and Brussels is watching closely. As the U.S.-Canada trade war escalates, Zoya Sheftalovich and Kathryn Carlson look at Mark Carney’s gamble, his call for the world’s “middle powers” to band together, and whether Europe is ready to follow his lead or would rather keep Washington onside. Then, France’s 2027 presidential race gets its first major televised debate. The political center goes into it weaker and more divided than ever, while Jean-Luc Mélenchon has managed to put his radical plan for dealing with France’s €3.5 trillion debt right at the heart of the campaign. And finally, could Brussels make the beautiful booze bottle an endangered species? Europe’s glassmakers fear new anti-waste rules could squeeze out some of the elaborate designs that help make spirits, wine and perfume instantly recognizable — although the reality is rather more nuanced. What’s a bottle or piece of packaging you love for its design — from spirits to perfume — and would hate to see disappear? Get in touch on WhatsApp here, or at +32 491 05 06 29. Furher readings: The trade war came too soon for Mark Carney’s middle powers alliance, by Camille Gijs, Graham Lanktree, Kathryn Carlson and Stefanie Bolzen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

France and Germany are clashing over how far the EU should go to protect European industry — with Paris pushing stronger “Made in Europe” rules and Berlin warning against provoking new trade fights. Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart look at what that battle says about Europe’s struggle to go green, stay competitive and keep its markets open at the same time. Then, Brussels is rattled by another wave of shootings. We look at the drug trade behind much of the violence, the Antwerp connection, and the political fight over whether the capital has enough police resources — or whether Belgium’s fragmented system is part of the problem. And on a much lighter note: Eurostar may finally get some serious competition. New operators are lining up to run through the Channel Tunnel, raising the prospect of more trains — and maybe cheaper tickets — between Brussels and London. Have you witnessed any of the recent shootings in Brussels? Or has the rise in gun violence changed how you feel about the city? We’d like to hear from you. Send us a message or a voice note on WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

António Costa is kicking off a tour of EU capitals to find out what leaders want from the bloc’s next seven-year budget — and what they might accept in return for a deal. His first stop is Bratislava, with Slovakia among the countries pushing to protect cohesion and agricultural funding. Later this week, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will gather like-minded northern countries in Berlin to argue for a much leaner budget and major cuts to the Commission’s nearly €2 trillion proposal. Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart look at the competing campaigns as negotiations head into a crucial period. Next, an argument inside Europe’s socialist family over Denmark’s Mette Frederiksen and her cooperation with Giorgia Meloni on migration has raised questions about whether the tensions could spill into the Socialists & Democrats group in the European Parliament. Plus: Greece is trying to turn the buzz around Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey into tourist money. With parts of the film shot in the Peloponnese, regional authorities are building an “Odyssey Route” — hoping the movie can leave the kind of lasting tourism legacy Mamma Mia! did on Skopelos. Have you ever been convinced to visit a place after seeing it in a movie? Get in touch! You can message us or send a voice message to our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices