Episodi

  • Week Ender archives: Can Europe quit American Big Tech?

    Week Ender archives: Can Europe quit American Big Tech?
    Aug 14 2026
    This week and next, the Brussels Playbook Week Ender podcast is away for the summer holiday. So, we thought we’d re-up this popular installment on Europe’s quest to become independent from U.S. tech. In this episode first released in June, Sarah Wheaton is joined by "The Tech Coup" author and former Member of the European Parliament Marietje Schaake and POLITICO’s Laurens Cerulus, as they look at what happens when the systems running Europe’s schools, ministries, banks, businesses and security are controlled elsewhere. They also discuss whether Brussels can build real alternatives or simply learn to manage its dependence better. The Brussels Playbook Podcast will be back to its regular schedule on Aug. 24. Questions? Comments? Send us a message to our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    39 min
  • Week Ender: Verhofstadt on "Trumpism", plus summer must-reads

    Week Ender: Verhofstadt on "Trumpism", plus summer must-reads
    Aug 7 2026
     It’s August in Brussels, which means it’s vacation time. Whether you’re heading off to the beach or holding down the fort in town,  this episode is brimming with book recommendations from our newsroom and from you, our listeners. Whatever your genre preference, from true crime thrillers to deep political dives, we've got your summer holiday covered.  But this installment is not just a book chat. We're also tackling the rise of populism and the crises facing liberal democracies around the world. That’s the topic of “Defeating Trumpism,” a new book by former Belgian Prime Minister and European Parliament Member Guy Verhofstadt. The book is a self-diagnosis from one of Europe’s most passionate centrists about the failures of his movement. And his prescription? A new political paradigm he calls “Citizenism.” We’re on a break for two weeks, so expect us to pop back up on your feed with the daily Brussels Playbook Podcast on Aug. 24 and the Week Ender podcast on Aug. 28. Questions? Comments? 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
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    35 min
  • Why are Commission staffers so miserable?

    Why are Commission staffers so miserable?
    Aug 6 2026
    Working at the European Commission is one of the most coveted civil service jobs in Brussels. Yet, officials employed there describe high pressure, bureaucracy and burnout. Our colleague Seb Starcevic has interviewed dozen officials from different commissioners’ cabinets and directorates-general, varying in age, nationality and seniority. On the podcast, Zoya Sheftalovich and Sarah Wheaton parse through what these insiders had to say about their working conditions. Next, last week’s Ceuta crisis — when a surge of migrants crossed from Morocco into the Spanish exclave — has revived a basic question: Why does Spain still hold territory in North Africa? With Madrid increasingly isolated from both U.S. and European allies, doubts are also growing over who would support Spain if Morocco moved against Ceuta or its other North African city, Melilla. Plus: Novo Nordisk, the Danish pharma company of Ozempic fame, is launching a pill version of its weight-loss drug Wegovy in Europe ... and transatlantic tensions are already brewing. Questions? Comments? 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
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    17 min
  • Europe's Palantir problem

    Europe's Palantir problem
    Aug 5 2026
    Europe wants to kick its U.S. tech habit, but it’s struggling to detangle itself from American data analytics firm Palantir. The problem is, the company's tools are already deeply embedded in critical sectors across the bloc like policing, national defense and health systems. A report released today also shows that the tech firm has found ways to pay minimal taxes in Europe. On the show, hosts Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart discuss European alternatives and why detaching is easier said than done. Next, our colleague Seb Starcevic has interviewed Mediterranean Commissioner Dubravka Šuica. The role that was originally thought to be low profile has instead thrust the Croatian official into the limelight as various crises hit the Middle East and the Mediterranean. Plus: Three new foods are being added to the EU’s list of products with geographic indicators. These are the labels given to products that can only be made in a specific region, like Champagne or ... yes, you guessed it, halloumi. Questions? Comments? 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
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    14 min
  • Can Europe contain the Ceuta fallout?

    Can Europe contain the Ceuta fallout?
    Aug 4 2026
    Home affairs ministers are meeting this morning as the fallout of the Ceuta crisis continues to roil Europe. Last week’s sudden influx of migrants into the Spanish exclave — most of whom have since returned — sparked heated exchanges between European leaders. On the show, hosts Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart preview whether today’s emergency meeting can cool tensions, and what measures the Commission may propose to address concerns across the bloc. Next, a drought in Hungary and Romania could grind nuclear power plants to a halt since the River Danube has fallen too low to cool their reactors. Budapest and Bucharest are on high alert over the risk of an energy crisis in the coming days. Plus: The Belgium push to encourage young people to sign up for voluntary military service appears to have worked, as the program starting Sept. 1 is already fully booked. Are you taking part in voluntary military service, in Belgium or elsewhere? We’re intrigued. Get in touch on our 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
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    16 min
  • Ceuta triggers two days of EU emergency talks

    Ceuta triggers two days of EU emergency talks
    Aug 3 2026
    The crisis in the Spanish territory of Ceuta is adding fuel to Europe’s bitter debate over migration. Following the arrival of more than 50,000 migrants in Ceuta in northern Africa last week, EU leaders ganged up on Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez over his migration policies. Although 48,300 migrants had returned to Morocco by late Friday, the backlash is ongoing. On Tuesday the EU is set to hold an urgent meeting of interior ministers to figure out next steps. Hosts Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart discuss the incident. Next, European Ombudsman Teresa Anjinho warns that growing global crises can’t become an excuse for secrecy in the EU’s institutions. She says that more than a third of the complaints she receives are about transparency. Plus: French President Emmanuel Macron’s team is looking for Saudi funding for a manga theme park near Paris. Get in touch with us! Send us a message or voice note to our 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
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    16 min
  • Week Ender — Searing Contradiction: Wildfires and climate politics

    Week Ender — Searing Contradiction: Wildfires and climate politics
    Jul 31 2026
    Wildfires may sound remote — something that happens deep in a forest or on an empty mountainside. But in Europe, there’s often very little distance between nature and major population centers. That’s why the fires near Bordeaux and Madrid have been so frightening: they’re not burning somewhere far away, but threatening homes, businesses and entire urban regions. European countries are responding by sending planes, helicopters and hundreds of firefighters to help one another. But while Europe has built an effective system for reacting once the flames are raging, it’s still struggling with the less dramatic work of prevention. POLITICO senior climate reporter Zia Weise joins host Sarah Wheaton, sustainability reporter Marianne Gros and Agnes Rønberg from the agriculture team to examine how abandoned land, poorly managed forests and disappearing livestock are making fires harder to control. They also unpack the growing bill for homes, farms and businesses — and how the costs eventually spread to insurers and cash-strapped governments — while asking whether Brussels can prepare Europe for worsening climate disasters as it rolls back parts of the Green Deal. To contact us, send us a voice note or a message on WhatsApp here, or at +32 491 05 06 29. You can also email us at podcast@politico.eu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    26 min
  • The race to save von der Leyen’s big speech

    The race to save von der Leyen’s big speech
    Jul 30 2026
    Brussels may have entered summer mode, but one of the first big political moments everyone will be watching when they return to work is Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s State of the Union address in September. And officials still at their desks are scrambling to make sure the she has something to say. Hosts Zoya Sheftalovich and Sarah Wheaton discuss some of the policy areas von der Leyen might want to emphasize ... and others she may want to avoid. Next, as the EU’s AI Office gains sweeping new powers to scrutinize the companies behind systems like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini, we explain why this move is bigger than just than another piece of tech regulation. Plus: Industrial chicken farms might be accelerating the spread of a diarrhea-causing bacteria. But what does that mean if you’re an avid consumer of poultry? Get in touch with us! Send us a message or voice note to our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    17 min