Brussels Playbook Podcast

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

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

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

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

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

The Brussels Playbook Week Ender podcast is still away on holiday — but don’t worry, we will be back next week.    In the meantime, here’s an episode from earlier this year about Europe’s attempts to protect its industry from Chinese products flooding the continent. In this conversation, which was first released in May, host Sarah Wheaton is joined by Sander Tordoir from the Centre for European Reform, Grzegorz Stec from the Mercator Institute for China Studies and POLITICO’s Jordyn Dahl to discuss the European Commission’s attempts to forge a common stance on China. 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

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

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

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

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

Wildfires raging across France and Spain have forced more than 300,000 people from their homes and stretched national firefighting services to their limits. Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart look at how the EU is helping through its Civil Protection Mechanism and rescEU emergency reserve — and why Brussels says that even dozens more firefighting planes would not be enough without much greater investment in prevention. Then, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy heads to Washington amid signs that U.S. President Donald Trump and parts of the MAGA movement may be warming towards Kyiv. But will the apparent change of heart translate into sanctions against Russia and concrete military support? Plus: Could antibodies produced by llamas provide farmers with a safer alternative to chemical pesticides?Want to get in touch? 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

He’s the seventh British prime minister to walk through the famous black door of Number 10 Downing Street since the Brexit vote 10 years ago. Can Andy Burnham refresh relations with Europe and rescue a reset with Brussels that feels like it has been kicked into the long grass?  Host Anne McElvoy talks to two guests who know the knotty relationship between Britain and the European Union. Sylvie Boulard was France’s defense minister in 2017. She was previously an MEP who joined Emmanuel Macron’s En Marche party and advised him on the fallout from Brexit. Sir Simon Fraser led Britain’s Foreign Office between 2010 and 2015. He knows his way around Brussels, having served as Peter Mandelson’s chef du Cabinet when he was EU trade commissioner  and held a senior position at the British Embassy in Paris.  Now he leads the business consultancy Flint Global, where he worked with James Purnell — who’s just become Andy Burnham’s chief of staff.     Send us a voice note or message us on WhatsApp here, or at +32 491 05 06 29. You can also email us at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today is a make-or-break moment for the EU’s 21st sanctions package targeting Russia. After EU countries failed to agree on the ins and outs of the deal last week, ambassadors are meeting again today in Brussels to finally clinch the deal. But can they hash out the remaining thorny issues? Next: European Parliament is trying to reengage with China after a seven-year diplomatic freeze. But despite the defrosting of relations, it’s clear lawmakers are unsure of what their stance towards Beijing should be. And finally, as Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” hits cinemas, a Hollywood culture war hits Greece.  Do you have a Hollywood trope about a specific European country that grinds your gears? Let us know! Send us a message or voice note to our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. And for those intrigued about the new monkey species with Ian Wishart’s hairstyle found hiding in the DR Congo’s forests, you can read more here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices