Brussels Playbook Podcast

The EU’s Israel dilemma

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 defens

Kaja Kallas takes another hit

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

Germany's far-right bombshell

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

What do Spain's migrant crisis and Germany's knife-edge election mean for Europe?

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 a

Dublin tests Europe's budget red lines

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

The plan to shut out Europe's far right

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

Europe gears up for its China counterpunch

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 alre

What Iceland's 'no' means for the EU

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

Could Orbán lead Hungary again?

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

Can Canada teach Europe how to stand up to Trump?

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

France and Germany collide over Europe’s industrial future

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

Costa tours the capitals — while Merz rallies the penny-pinchers

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.

What Ukraine needs to survive another winter

We’re back! And so are Ukraine’s key backers. On the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence from the Soviet Union, leaders meet in Kyiv this Monday to discuss new ple

Week Ender archives: Is China the ‘abusive’ partner the EU just can’t quit?

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 y

Week Ender archives: Can Europe quit American Big Tech?

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 bec

Week Ender: Verhofstadt on "Trumpism", plus summer must-reads

 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 r

Why are Commission staffers so miserable?

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 burnou

Europe's Palantir problem

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 alr

Can Europe contain the Ceuta fallout?

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 excla

Ceuta triggers two days of EU emergency talks

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 nort