European Liberal Forum

What message did Armenian voters actually send in the 2026 elections? And can Armenia's European path survive the disinformation, external pressure, and polarisation reshaping its politics? Tatevik Matinyan, human rights advocate and chairperson of Armenia's Institute of Liberal Politics, joins Ricardo Silvestre to unpack the results, the propaganda playbook that echoes what we've seen in Hungary...

How can we make technology work for us and not the other way around? What is the difference between "algorithms" and "androrithms"? Does outsourcing thinking to AI erode people's capacity to think and leads to the rise of "super-stupidity"? And what will human agency look like in the future? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Gerd Leonhard, a top-rated futurist and a leading global k...

What does the future of European banking actually look like, in a world of perpetual crisis, heavy regulation, and consolidating institutions? Annarita Morelli, a strategy and governance executive who has worked on the front lines of Italy's financial system, joins Ricardo Silvestre on the Liberal Europe Podcast, to make the case for proximity banking, smarter resilience, and a financial sector th...

Is the Visegrad Group still relevant? Is it expereiencing its renaissance after Péter Magyar's win in Hungary? What is the relationship between the Visegrad countries and Ukraine? What types of projects does the International Visegrad Fund foster and what is their relevance in terms of cultural cooperation? And can civil society funding be considered as part of democratic infrastructure? Leszek Ja...

What does real partnership between Europe and Africa actually look like in 2026? In this episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Ricardo Silvestre is joined by Rui Santos, CEO of CESO Development Consultants, a Portuguese firm celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and one of the most experienced implementers of European Commission projects across Africa, Latin America, and Asia. The conversati...

Does the idea of an open society still have a place in today's world? Which four exponential forces currently run the world? And how to reconcile Europe's values and vision with those of other key geopolitical players? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Mark Leonard, Co-Founder and Director of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), the first pan-European think–tank. Tune i...

How dangerous is the far right in Germany? What should we know about the rise of neonazi terrorism? And what is the role of the secret services in Germany? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Jacob Kushner, an international journalist who reports on migration, terrorism and violent extremism, science and global health in Africa, Germany, and the Caribbean. He is the author of "China’s...

Europe has the resources, the talent, and the scale to rival the US and China — so why doesn't it act like it? In this episode, recorded live in Milan with the Adam Smith Society, Ricardo Silvestre sits down with Marco Cecchi de'Rossi, an investment committee member at Arpinge SpA and board member at SIDAM for a wide-ranging conversation on what's really holding Europe back. They dissect the non-t...

Is Europe walking into a new China shock? Sam Goodman — Senior Policy Director at the China Strategic Risks Institute joins Ricardo Silvestre to dissect the EU–China relationship at a moment of real turbulence. From Middle East fallout and the Strait of Hormuz, to trillion-dollar trade imbalances, Merz's first Beijing visit, Macron's tariff push, and the Commission's economic security agenda, this...

How has the recent election transformed the Bulgarian political scene? What will be the European priorities of the newly formed government? What is Rumen Radev's main message? And what was his secret that helped him ensure a win? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Maria Simeonova, the Head of the Sofia office at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). Her areas of focus inc...

What does it take to communicate politics in a world shaped by algorithms, memes, and constant online dialogue? In this episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Ricardo Silvestre sits down with Ahmed Kosovac,Marketing Communications Team Lead at Naša stranka and Council Member at Općina Novo Sarajevo, to unpack how digital platforms and AI are transforming the way politics is practiced and understoo...

Can Europe attain digital sovereignty? What are the limits of the EU's regulatory power? Is the dichotomy between sovereignty and a colony unavoidable? And what is Europe's digital grand strategy? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Dr José Ignacio Torreblanca, a Senior Adviser and Distinguished Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Tune in the for their talk! Wa...

What do Hungary’s latest election results tell us about the future of liberal politics in the country? Looking beyond the results, Andrea Virag, Director of Strategy at the Republican Institute in Budapest, joins this week's host, Ricardo Silvestre, to examine the broader picture, from the role of civil society to the future of liberal forces in the political arena, and what it will realistically...

What is the expected outcome of the upcoming parliamentary election in Hungary? What are opposition leader Péter Magyar's chances of winning? Will this be the end of the Orbán-era? Will there be any attempts at rigging the election? And if the Tisza party wins, what direction will it adopt toward the European Union and Ukraine? And how will the election influence the future of Europe? Leszek Jazdz...

What’s really holding back EU enlargement ? Could new ideas like a “pooled veto” reshape how decisions are made in Europe? And what happens when EU integration starts to reverse? In this episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social) welcomes back Emil Kirjas, Vice President at Liberal International and founder of Kirjas Global Ltd. Together, they discuss the l...

How does the war in Iran affect Europeans? What is the impact of the Greenland issue on the Danish view of NATO and the transatlantic alliance? Should the Nordic countries acquire nuclear weapons? And what does Europe's path to competitiveness look like? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, a Senior Fellow at Bruegel in Brussels and at the Peterson Institute for...

In the 5th year of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, how is the civil society in Ukraine currently faring? Is the Ukrainian identity under pressure? What is the impact of the war on the mental health of people, particularly children? And what should we know about paganism? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Anna Zakletska, a Ukrainian television and radio presenter, a host...

In this episode of the podcast, Ricardo Silvestre from Movimento Liberal Social welcomes back Dr. Antonios Nestoras, founder and director of the European Policy Innovation Council (EPIC), a Brussels-based policy think movement. Together, they discuss the implementation of the Draghi Report on European competitiveness and explore its broader political implications for Europe. The conversation exami...

Cities and regions are where European politics meets everyday life. In this episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social) welcomes Sean O'Curneen, Secretary-General of Renew Europe at the Committee of the Regions. Together they explore why the Committee of the Regions matters for Europe’s democracy, how liberals are shaping its work, the impact of liberal lead...

How is the Iranian society coping with the crackdown on the protests? What is the current state of the regime and its prospects for the future? Who is Reza Pahlavi and what might be his role in the near future? And how do Iranians view the U.S. intervention in their affairs? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Touska Gholami Khaljiri, an Iranian women’s and children’s rights activist...

Civil society is the backbone of democracy: citizens organizing to defend freedoms, strengthen their communities, and hold power accountable. Yet across Europe and beyond, this space is increasingly under pressure. What begins as calls for “transparency” can quickly turn into efforts to discredit and defund independent organizations. At a time of geopolitical instability and democratic backsliding...

What is the future, if any, of the transatlantic relationship? Where do we stand on European sovereignty versus President Donald Trump? What should we know about the 'brave new world order' proposed by Canadian PM Mark Carney? Should Europe try to keep the United States on board as long as possible or mobilize against it? And is Europe ready for a war on multiple fronts given its internal challeng...

We are kicking off the new season of the Liberal Europe Podcast with a thought-provoking conversation between our two hosts, Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social) and Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!). They talk about the animated start of 2026, the transatlantic relationship, a new world order, and what is on tap for one more year of episodes.  This podcast is produced by the European...

What happens when Europe’s traditional allies start to drift and its adversaries grow bolder? In this episode, Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social) is joined by Helmut Brandstätter, Member of the European Parliament and author of Trump, Putin and Their Puppets. The conversation explores how shifting power dynamics between Washington, Moscow, and Europe are reshaping the EU’s strategic real...

What has the European Union actually done with the Draghi Report, and what still remains politically unresolved? In this episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, host Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social) welcomes back Member of the European Parliament and ELF Board Member Jeannette Baljeu for a reflective conversation one year after the publication of the Draghi Report. Together, they examin...