Brussels Playbook Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Europe gears up for its China counterpunch Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

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

What Iceland's 'no' means for the EU Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

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

Could Orbán lead Hungary again? Aug 28, 2026

Show notes

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

Can Canada teach Europe how to stand up to Trump? Aug 27, 2026

Show notes

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 collide over Europe’s industrial future Aug 26, 2026

Show notes

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

Costa tours the capitals — while Merz rallies the penny-pinchers Aug 25, 2026

Show notes

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

What Ukraine needs to survive another winter Aug 24, 2026

Show notes

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 pledges of support for the country.

On the podcast, Zoya Sheftalovich and Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Nick Vinocur discuss what support Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is looking to secure from the Coalition of the Willing ahead of another difficult winter.

Next we look at elections in the state of Saxony-Anhalt in Germany, where the far-right Alternative for Germany is on course for a sweeping victory. If it wins an outright majority, its lead candidate, Ulrich Siegmund, could become the first AfD state premier.

Plus: e-scooters get a reprieve until the end of the year in Brussels, much to Nick’s delight. The Brussels government announced it had found a way around a legal ruling that threatened to remove the scooters from the streets on Sept. 1.

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

Week Ender archives: Is China the ‘abusive’ partner the EU just can’t quit? Aug 21, 2026

Show notes

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

Week Ender archives: Can Europe quit American Big Tech? Aug 14, 2026

Show notes

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

Week Ender: Verhofstadt on "Trumpism", plus summer must-reads Aug 07, 2026

Show notes

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

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected