European Liberal Forum

What does it take to keep a democracy alive in the midst of war? What happens when a nation’s fate rests not only on soldiers and politicians but on the courage of its people? In this episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social), talks with Dr Svitlana Kovalchuk, the Executive Director at Yalta European Strategy (YES) where she shares how Ukraine’s civil soci...

Is Donald Trump's presidency the beginning of a new era in the global world order? What is there to know about economic disruption and globalization in this context? And is the European Union overreacting in its response to the recent events or rather attempting to 'make Europe great again'? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Matthew Kaminski, POLITICO's Editor-at-Large, writing regu...

Liberal Europe Podcast host Ricardo Silvestre talks to Austrian liberal MEP Anna Stürgkh who shares her journey from Austria to the European Parliament, her passion for the European Union, and her work on energy security and reform. We also dive into pressing issues like the future of Europe, the rise of populism, and the importance of delivering on Europe's promises to its citizens. This podcast...

What does Donald Trump understand about politics that others don’t? What is the impact of Trump's presidency on Europe (and the Polish political scene in particular)? And what should we expect from the forthcoming Polish presidential elections? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Andrzej Bobiński, the Managing Director of Polityka Insight. Tune in for their talk! This podcast is produ...

In this episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Leszek Jażdżewski (Fundacja Liberte!) and Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social) discuss the evolving role of NATO and the European Union in global security amidst shifting U.S. foreign policy under the second Trump administration. They explore whether Europe can step up as a security provider, how transatlantic relations are reshaping, and what...

Over-fragmentation of the European defense market is a major issue that weakens the EU’s military capabilities and efficiency. The EU countries have too many different weapon systems, national procurement processes, and military standards, making interoperability difficult and reducing cost-effectiveness. To be a stronger security player, the EU must reduce fragmentation, develop a more unified de...

Many people with disabilities are disenfranchised completely from voting in Europe, but physical barriers are not the only ones preventing them from taking a more active role in politics. There is still a lot to do to encourage political participation and proper representation of this minority group. Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social) is joined by Alva Finn, the Executive Director of ELF...

Crisis after crisis, the youth need politicians who will not ignore their problems but propose solutions so they can feel they have a future. In such a volatile environment—with wars and COVID still in the back of our heads—security and stability are something that we are all craving. Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social) talks to Ines Holzegger, resident of LYMEC - Liberal Youth about the...

What brings 2025 to Europe? And how should we prepare for that? Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social) talks to ELF President MEP Jan-Christoph Oetjen about EU strategic autonomy, the balance of power at the European Parliament and his motivation to be ELF Board President; This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liber...

In this episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social), talks to MEP and ELF Board Member, Jeannette Baljeu. They talk about the document "The future of European competitiveness – A competitiveness strategy for Europe", also known as Draghi Report, from a political perspective. This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimen...

While sovereignty and sustainability are vital, competitiveness is essential to achieving both. Without competitiveness, taxpayer money could be wasted on lofty goals that fail to deliver results. In the new episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social), talks to Professor Gerard Pogorel, Senior Fellow at ELF, about the Draghi Report, and about how the EU is f...

How can the European Union woo Donald Trump? Why immigration is beneficial and morally right? And what is the EU's potential for change and reform? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Philippe Legrain, a former economic adviser to the president of the European Commission, a Visiting Senior Fellow at the London School of Economics’ European Institute, and the author of "Them and Us: Ho...

In the latest episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social), talks to the MEP Lucia Yar, Vice President of the European Liberal Forum, about her journey from journalism to politics, Progressive Slovakia’s mission, and the importance of gender equality in EU policy. This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal S...

What is the outcome of the parliamentary elections in Georgia? What should we know about the authoritarian evolution of the Georgian Dream ruling party? What was the role of the Russian war in Ukraine on the politics in Georgia? What is the way forward? And what should the European Union do about these recent developments? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Alexander Zibzibadze, Chai...

What lessons should be drawn from the EU's response to crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic or the Russian war in Ukraine? How can the European Union act more efficiently in a crisis and reduce bureaucratic procedures? What is the overall strategic and geopolitical vision of the EU? And what should we know about the referendum on including integration with the EU into the constitution and the pres...

What is the role of civil society training and engagement in a country where institutions are captured by anti-democratic and anti-liberal governments? In the latest episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social) talks with Amb. Nino Kalandadze, founder and executive director of the Chavchavadze Center, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia who l...

What are the reasons for Donald Trump's victory? What mistakes did the Democrats make? What will be the consequences of the U.S. presidential election for Europe and its strategic autonomy? And what strategy should liberals adopt against populists? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Garvan Walshe, a political strategist and entrepreneur. He is the founder of the pro-democracy AI comp...

Why would Latinos vote for Trump in the US? Why do some Muslims support Le Pen in France? What role does identity play when it comes to backing populist forces? We continue the conversation with Daniela Melo, lecturer of social sciences at Boston University. This time we focus on how certain minorities vote, accounting, or against their own interests (and how we see that in Europe also). This podc...

There’s a shift in paradigm about what a politician should look like, how they should talk, and what works with the electorate. But post-truth and post-shame politics is not a new phenomenon but one for decades in the making. Daniela Melo, lecturer of social sciences at Boston University and Ricardo Silvestre discussed some of the factors that can decide the US election of the 5th of November, and...

What makes an ideology sexy? What does the liberal utopia look like? What does it mean to be a 'good liberal' politician, bureaucrat, or a think tank? And how to make liberalism sexy (again)? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Sven Gerst, a philosopher with an interdisciplinary background in philosophy, politics, and economics. He holds advanced degrees from King’s College London, th...

The upcoming elections in Georgia are going to be crucial for the country’s future: the results could either solidify the recent political shift towards Russia or bring a change in leadership that restores Georgia's pro-Western trajectory. In the latest episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social), talks with Ambassador Gigi Gigiadze, Senior Fellow at the Eco...

In this episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social) and Leszek Jażdżewski (Fundacja Liberté!) come together to talk about this year’s edition of the (amazing) Freedom Games, with the title ‘City:Europe:Future’. They also talk about the age divide on the perception of liberalism, and how that creates the need to make 'liberalism sexy again'. This podcast is p...

What should we know about organized crime and corrupt rule of oligarchs in Slovakia? Should we be afraid of Slovak nationalism? And why do Slovaks dislike the West? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Michal Vašečka, a Program Director of the Bratislava Policy Institute. Since 2012 Michal serves as a representative of Slovakia in the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance...

What influence the Catholic Church has on the Irish national identity? What was growing up in Catholic Ireland like? And how has the self-image of the Irish transformed over the years? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Derek Scally, the "Irish Times Berlin" correspondent. He reports on both German and European politics and current affairs but also on business, arts, and European aff...

In this episode we talk about with Rowan Fitton, the co-editor of the official magazine of LYMEC, the youth organisation of the ALDE Party and the Renew Europe parliamentary group, Libertas, the co-international officer for the Young Liberals UK. We go into the very good results for the Lib-Dems in the last Parlamentaly election, and the future of the UK with the EU, but also relating to Scotland...