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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Wednesday that “he had the feeling that Europeans were not able to understand that an attack could happen to their country too.” Are Europeans really facing a concrete threat, and are they preparing themselves enough? Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network. Follow us on: LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A few days ago, a former general and member of the far-right party Lega in Italy announced his ambition to launch a new movement, even further to the right: Il Futuro Nazionale. The initiator, Roberto Vannacci, is known for his extremist views and his lenient stance on fascism. Meanwhile, Poland is witnessing the rise of an ultra-nationalist party that is openly antisemitic and pro-Russia. How did these highly extremist parties become so central to the political scene? Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network. Follow us on: LinkedIn•Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While the EU is celebrating the reopening of the Rafah crossing point between Gaza and Egypt, Israeli authorities are preventing many NGOs from providing humanitarian aid in Gaza — a move which violates the agreed peace plan. What are the EU's options to confront Israel over its violations of human rights? Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network. Follow us on: LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Across the Atlantic, American President Donald Trump has just ordered that deep-sea mining be sped up, which is believed to be highly damaging for the ocean. Meanwhile, every raw material extraction project in Europe meets with strong social opposition. This leaves the EU in a delicate situation when it comes to producing solar panels or batteries without relying on China. Will Europe edge toward a more US-style approach to resource extraction? Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network. Follow us on: LinkedIn Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Poland in 2024, 99% of abortions took place outside hospitals, outside the legal framework. Polish women find alternatives to the near-total ban on abortion, but sometimes in ways that are either dangerous or very costly. That is why the European Parliament is asking for an European mechanism to allow every single woman in the EU to have access to safe and free abortion. This episode unpacks this proposal to see if it can come to light. Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network. Follow us on: LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

30,000. This is the figure circulating about the number of people who might have been killed by the Iranian regime since the start of the protests at the end of December last year. The EU has just decided to tag the Islamic Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization. What does it mean, and is there something the European Union could do to avoid this bloodshed? Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network. Follow us on: LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spain wants to regularize half a million undocumented migrants. Meanwhile, the rest of Europe is busy toughening migration rules. So is Spain the very last country on the continent to have a positive message around migration? Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network. Follow us on: LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kids under 15 should not access social media. That’s how France sees it. Its government is pushing for a full ban below this age. However, France, just like any other EU country, cannot force social media platforms to effectively restrict access for kids. Only the European Union can. Is the EU willing to do so? Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network. Follow us on: LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

René Good, and now Alex Pretti. The people of Minneapolis are counting a second person killed by the border control agency, ICE, in just one month. Meanwhile, both in the US and in Europe, some hard-right politicians are openly congratulating the agents who killed Alex Pretti. This episode looks at how Europe differs or not from the US in terms of police violence. Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network. Follow us on: LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether it is train accidents or floods - every disaster in Spain strongly reignites political battles. Using tragedy for political gain is widely condemned in European countries. Is this a typical Spanish thing, or is the taboo weakening? This episode looks at how political exploitation is becoming more and more common as the extreme right parties gain ground in Europe. Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network. Follow us on: LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Members of the European Parliament, alongside farmers from all over Europe, claim a victory in the fight against the EU/Mercosur trade agreement. On Wednesday 21 January, the Parliament voted to challenge the controversial trade deal before the EU Court of Justice. What will happen if the judges rule against the treaty? Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network. Follow us on: LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Germany and France have been trying to maintain a friendship since the 1960s — a friendship that is supposed to guide the rest of the continent. However, this doesn’t really work anymore. Why do they struggle to find a united position on Donald Trump’s ongoing threats? Could this lack of unity hamper Europe’s response? Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network. Follow us on: LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discover Briefed, Europod’s new daily podcast covering stories around Europe. In just five minutes, host Léa Marchal brings a fresh perspective on European politics and major news happening in European countries. On issues like tech sovereignty, climate scepticism or the rise of the extremes, the podcast brings you a different angle than your national one. Starting January 22nd, episodes of Briefed will be released at 6:00 AM CET, Monday through Friday. Briefed is produced by Europod in co-production with the Sphera Network. Follow us on: Linkedin Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zoos bring us much closer to wildlife, but their existence is a controversial topic. Go online and it’s easy to find groups that advocate for the closure of zoos, assessing that they do more harm than good to animals. Complaints usually relate to confinement, the lack of space, unnatural environments and crowded conditions as the main problems against animal well-being. But experts working in zoos think differently. So the question boils down to: are zoos actually beneficial to animals? Do they have a role to play in conservation? And what can we learn from zoos on the impact of human beings on animals still living in the wild? In this episode, we will investigate these questions with Martin Boye, President of the European Association for Aquatic Mammals, and Kate Werner, Senior Campaign Manager at PETA UK. Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union. Production: Europod Follow us on: LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Cambridge dictionary defines fatphobia as the “unreasonable dislike or unfair treatment of people because they are fat”. Going deeper, Fatphobia equates fatness with ugliness, inferiority, and immorality. Subjecting people to fat phobia or weight stigma can be very harmful, not just to people who are fat but also to anyone else who has been co-opted by a system that designates only one “correct” body size or weight. But is fatphobia also an intersectional issue or opression? How does it relate to race, disability, colonisation and enslavement? In this episode we'll be discussing fatphobia and its intersectionality with racism. To do so, we are going to talk to Caleb Luna, a writer, fat activist and professor in the US. We will also be hearing from Saskia Calliste, a black London-based writer. Tune into episode 15 now! Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union. Production: Europod Follow us on: LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.