Europe Speaks: A TEPSA Podcast

Democracy support has been a cornerstone of EU enlargement and neighbourhood policy. Yet, today it is increasingly intertwined with geopolitical competition. In this third episode of InvigoratEU Talks, we ask: has the EU become better at promoting democracy, or has geopolitics changed the rules of the game?  InvigoratEU Talks is a podcast series born from the Horizon Europe-funded project, Invigor...

This episode of EuropeChats is a discussion between Bobby McDonagh, former Irish diplomat, and TEPSA Secretary-General Jim Cloos. The discussion focuses on how to communicate and explain the European Union, specifically using Bobby McDonagh’s latest publication, "The European Union in 12 Objects", in which each object represents an aspect of the EU or one of its institutions.  Bobby McDonagh is a...

In the second episode of InvigoratEU Talks, we explore the links between the EU's security and defence policies and the enlargement process. Has enlargement effectively become part of Europe's security strategy? And do policy-makers and European citizens fully appreciate what is at stake? InvigoratEU Talks is a podcast series born from the Horizon Europe-funded project, InvigoratEU, bringing toget...

This episode of EuropeChats is a discussion between Frank Schimmelfennig, Professor at ETH Zurich, Tyyne Karjalainen, Research Fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, and TEPSA Executive Director, Mariam Khotenashvili. The discussion explores Ukraine’s path to EU accession in light of the recent proposal by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for an associate form of EU membership f...

In the first episode of InvigoratEU Talks, we turn to the enlargement policy toolbox. What does geopolitical enlargement actually mean in practice? And can the current enlargement methodology still deliver in a context shaped by war, security pressures, and renewed competition among great powers? InvigoratEU Talks is a podcast series born from the Horizon Europe-funded project, InvigoratEU, bringi...

This episode of EuropeChats is a discussion between Colette Braeckman, Journalist at Le Soir, and TEPSA Secretary-General Jim Cloos. The discussion focuses on Central African history and politics in the post-independence era and the relation with the EU. Colette Braeckman has been a longtime senior correspondent for Le Soir in Central Africa and is the author of numerous books based on her investi...

This episode of EuropeChats is a discussion between Klara Lindström, Analyst at the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies (SCEEUS), and TEPSA Executive Director Mariam Khotenashvili. The discussion focuses on Ukraine’s perspectives on the war, peace talks, and prospects for EU membership. Klara Lindström is Analyst at SCEEUS at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs (UI) and Specia...

Elections still matter, but participation is changing shape. We look at who walks away from voting (and why), how participation gaps map into inequality and civic space, and where people go when they still do not abandon politics. Democracy Cracks is a six-episode podcast mini-series exploring the cracks in our democratic systems, from weakening trust to widening social divides, narrated by TEPSA'...

If democracy feels out of sync with today’s crises, information speed, and geopolitical pressure, what does “updating” look like without breaking the core promises? Let’s examine institutional stress, experimentations, and the tension between responsiveness and stability. Democracy Cracks is a six-episode podcast mini-series exploring the cracks in our democratic systems, from weakening trust to w...

A final episode focused on repairs: protecting checks and balances, making accountability visible, investing in civic education and media literacy, and building resilience against inequality, distrust, and manipulation - without pretending democracy will ever be “perfect”. Democracy Cracks is a six-episode podcast mini-series exploring the cracks in our democratic systems, from weakening trust to...

What does political trust really mean and can democracy survive without it? In the first episode of Democracy Cracks, we unpack what political trust is, why mistrust is not always bad, and why the “trust is collapsing everywhere” story is more uneven than it looks. Democracy Cracks is a six-episode podcast mini-series exploring the cracks in our democratic systems, from weakening trust to widening...

Many feel politicians don’t listen and that nothing changes. In this episode, we explore the roots of disillusionment: accountability failures, material pressures, and the way loud voices can reshape what feels “normal” in politics. Democracy Cracks is a six-episode podcast mini-series exploring the cracks in our democratic systems, from weakening trust to widening social divides, narrated by TEPS...

What does a society look like when trust in democracy crumbles? In this episode, we explore how distrust reshapes civic life, from people walking away from the ballot box to rising polarisation, conspiracy theories, and the appeal of extreme “solutions”. But we also look at the other side: how frustration can spark new forms of participation, creativity, and democratic renewal. Democracy Cracks is...

Democracy Cracks is a six-episode podcast mini-series exploring the cracks in our democratic systems, from weakening trust to widening social divides, through storytelling, research, and thoughtful conversation, narrated by Eva Ribera, TEPSA's Programme Manager and EU policy professional.  Produced as part of ActEU, a Horizon Europe research project looking at trust, participation, and how democra...

This episode of EuropeChats is a discussion between Ann Mettler, Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Columbia University, and TEPSA Executive Director, Mariam Khotenashvili. The discussion focuses on the EU's competitiveness, the future of the Single Market, and the Omnibus proposal by the Commission, which aims to simplify and harmonise the EU's digital laws. Ann Mettler is a Distinguished Visiting...

This episode of EuropeChats is a discussion between Klaus Welle, Former Secretary-General of the European Parliament, and TEPSA Secretary-General Jim Cloos. The discussion focuses on the EU long-term budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), covering the years 2028 – 2034. The MFF sets the EU’s financing methods and policy priorities for the next 7 years. This episode looks at the history...

This episode of EuropeChats is a discussion between Erik Jones, Director of the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute, Mariam Khotenashvili, Executive Director of TEPSA, and TEPSA Secretary-General Jim Cloos. The discussion, recorded in late June 2025, examines the first months of Donald Trump’s second term in the White House and what they mean for transat...

This episode of EuropeChats is a discussion between Giselle Bosse, Professor at Maastricht University, and TEPSA Executive Director Mariam Khotenashvili. The discussion focuses on the EU enlargement process in the context of a turbulent geopolitical landscape and against the backdrop of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Giselle Bosse is full professor at Maastricht University, Visiting Professor at th...

In this new episode of EU History Explained, Giulia Bonacquisti, Programme Manager at the Trans European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA), takes a look at the history of the European Commission, the institution that proposes laws, defends the common European interest, and acts as ‘guardian of the Treaties’. We’ll look at how it grew from a bold post-war experiment into a key force shaping today’...

In this new episode of EU History Explained, Giulia Bonacquisti, Programme Manager at the Trans European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA), takes a look at the history of the European Parliament, an institution at the heart of pan-European democracy. We'll learn about the world’s first experiment in transnational democracy, whose members are unique among international parliamentary assemblies ins...

This episode of EuropeChats is a discussion between Marc De Vos, CEO of the Itinera Institute and author of "Superpower Europe: The European Union's Silent Revolution", and TEPSA Secretary-General Jim Cloos. The discussion focuses on the place of the European Union in the world, its potential to rival the major powers, and what it needs to harness that potential. Marc De Vos is CEO and founder of...

The European Union is built on a set of supposedly shared values among its Member States, defined in the Treaties as "human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights". But democratic backsliding means that even if a Member State 'signs up' for these at time of accession, it's no guarantee that this commitment will remain during their membership. In this ep...

We all have a basic instinct for what kinds of governments are and aren't democratic, but have you ever thought about how to actually define 'democracy'? It's harder than you might expect... In this video, Hugh Evans asks a crucial question: is democracy failing in the EU? The European Union's democracy is built on a foundation of dual legitimacy provided by directly elected MEPs on the one hand a...

In this video, Hugh Evans explores the ways in which national politicians, in addition to their role in the legislative process via the Council, can help steer the overall direction of the European Union. To this, we need to focus on an EU institution that is not actually part of the legislative process. This is the place where the Heads of State or Government meet to discuss pressing issues, reac...

This episode of EuropeChats is a discussion between Enrico Letta, former Italian Prime Minister and President of the Institut Jacques Delors, and TEPSA Secretary-General Jim Cloos. The discussion follows our series of interviews with former members of the European Council to mark the 50th anniversary of the institution, but also focuses on Mr. Letta's vision for the future of the European project,...