Briefed - Your Daily European Podcast

Israel has just passed a law reinstating the death penalty. This measure not only reverses a fundamental principle, but also discriminates against Palestinians. Because capital punishment will only apply to those accused of anti-Jewish terrorism. Will the EU, which strongly opposes the death penalty, now sanction the Israeli government? Production: By  Europod, in co-production with the Spher...

Respect for the rule of law in the EU is seriously eroding. This is what a report compiling data from 40 organisations across the continent has found. Member States are simply not implementing the recommendations made each year by the European Commission. Is the EU reaching its limits in maintaining the rule of law? Production: By  Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network . Follow us...

Only eight European countries have banned conversion practices. These so-called therapies often lead to PTSD, but they can go as far as driving young people to suicide. This is why more than 1 million citizens are asking the EU to ban these practices. Is the EU willin to do so? Production: By  Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network . Follow us on: LinkedIn Instagram Hosted on Acast...

Total blackout, shortages of food and fuel, lack of medication… The situation in Cuba is worsening day by day. According to the United Nations, the country has been pushed to the point of imminent humanitarian "collapse." What are the reactions of Europeans? Production : Europod in co-production with the Sphera Network . This episode is based on videos shot by Samuele Maccolini for VD News and on...

European households are suffering high energy bills. As long as the war in the Middle East drags on, options to reduce this burden remain limited. One major reason? Europeans are highly dependent on gas. Can the EU actually cut its gas consumption? Production: By  Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network . Follow us on: LinkedIn Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mo...

Giorgia Meloni has just suffered her first major defeat. On Monday, she lost the judicial referendum she had called. A defeat that will not lead to her resignation, she declared. But could this first setback weaken her both in Italy and internationally? Production: By  Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network . Follow us on: LinkedIn Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy f...

Peace talks between Ukraine and Russia are constantly being delayed. That’s what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated last week. As his country begins to run out of missiles and financial support, can Zelensky still hope to get out of this war with dignity? Production: By  Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network . Follow us on: LinkedIn Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast....

In France, a campaign to demonize the far left is underway. During the municipal elections, different left-wing parties joined forces to defeat the right and the far right. The right has labeled most of these alliances as "shameful deals," because they include La France insoumise (LFI), or France Unbowed. Is this the beginning of a real firewall against leftist parties?  Production: By ...

The EU is looking for answers to the energy crisis. Several EU member states are proposing to revise how the carbon market works, so that it weighs less on prices. But could this actually make a difference? 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.

Ukraine will soon run out of money. Four years into the war, the country faces a serious funding issue. The EU has promised a 90 billion euros loan, but it is currently blocked by Hungary. Will the rest of the EU manage to convince Viktor Orban to lift its veto? Production: By  Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network . Follow us on: LinkedIn • Instagram Hosted on Acast. See aca...

Nuclear energy is no longer just a French affair. The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, has finally admitted that nuclear power has an important role to play in the EU’s energy mix. But the question is: How many European countries are switching back to nuclear? Production: By  Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network . Follow us on: LinkedIn Instagram Hosted on Aca...

Donald Trump keeps turning up the heat on his allies. Over the weekend, he warned that it would be “very bad for the future of NATO” if allies didn’t help secure the strait. Are Europeans ready to step up and support the U.S.? 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.

The EU-Mercosur trade deal has faded from the headlines. Yet, a major milestone is on the horizon: after twenty-five years of negotiations, the agreement is set to enter into force provisionnaly in the coming weeks. Will farmers’ fears actually materialize? Production: By  Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network . Follow us on: LinkedIn Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priva...

A court ruling has just ordered the city of Madrid to comply with the Spanish law on abortion, and create a registry of conscientious objectors. These are doctors in the region who refuse to perform abortion procedures. Are there still many of these conscientious objectors in Spain and across Europe? Production: By  Europod,  in co-production with the  Sphera network . This episode...

The right has once again joined forces with the far right in the European Parliament to push through a major text on migration. Since the 2024 elections, this pattern has been repeating itself over and over. Could this breakdown of the firewall become the norm across Europe? Production: By  Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network . Follow us on: LinkedIn • Instagram Hosted on Acast....

France has deployed its aircraft carrier to support Cyprus and the Gulf states, which have been attacked or threatened by Iran. Several other EU countries have joined this effort. What is the scale of European forces sent to the region? Production: By  Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network . Follow us on: LinkedIn Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informati...

The war in Iran has once again highlighted a familiar issue: when it comes to international politics, the European Union does not always speak with one voice.  Why doesn’t the EU have a single president? 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.

Soon, asylum seekers from Bangladesh or Egypt, could see their asylum applications in the EU automatically rejected. This is what the new regulations on safe countries of origin and safe third countries, adopted in February, provide for. On what criteria does the EU base its decision to classify a country as safe? And are these criteria foolproof? Production: By  Europod, in co-production wit...

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is standing up to Donald Trump. He condemned the US-Israeli attacks on Iran and denied the Americans access to Spanish military bases. In retaliation, Washington has vowed to cut trade ties with Madrid. How far can Pedro Sánchez oppose the United States? Production: By  Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network . Follow us on: LinkedIn Instagram Ho...

After several years of industrial decline, the European Commission proposed a ‘Made in Europe’ policy, on March fourth. Is this a major industrial turning point? 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.

Iran is now blocking the Strait of Hormuz, through which 1 in 5 barrels of oil and a quarter of the world’s liquefied natural gas transit. As oil and gas prices rise, should Europeans be worried about a new energy crisis? 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.

Historically, the EU has placed crucial importance on upholding international law. But after the US and Israeli strikes in Iran, the EU is turning a blind eye to the violation of the principles of the UN Charter. Are we witnessing an erosion of this principle within the EU? Production: By  Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network . Follow us on: LinkedIn Instagram Hosted on Acast. Se...

Today’s Briefed Special is a longer conversation from our series Europe Talks Back . The European Union is one of the world’s most developed regions; yet deep territorial inequalities persist. According to Eurostat, GDP per capita can vary threefold within the same member state, with capital regions often earning twice as much as the rest of the country. In this episode of Europe Talks Back, produ...

“Far-left kills.” That’s how extreme-right protesters have described the death of Quentin Deranque. A formula also used by various political figures in France and abroad to blame far-left and antifascist movements in a broader sense. Can this dramatic event weaken antifascist movements across Europe? Production : By Europod in co-production with the Sphera network . This episode is based on a stor...

In Spain, the Therian community—people who spiritually identify as animals—has been the subject of heated debates on social media and in the press. Yet, the phenomenon exists primarily in the mouths of its detractors. Why has such a minority movement received so much attention in recent days? Production: By  Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network . Follow us on: LinkedIn • Instagra...