European Liberal Forum

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...

Why do identity politics matter? How not to fall into the identity trap? And what strategy should liberals employ to be successful? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Yascha Mounk, a Professor of the Practice of International Affairs at Johns Hopkins University, the Founder of Persuasion, and the host of “The Good Fight” podcast. His latest book is "The Identity Trap: A Story of Idea...

In this episode we talk with Alexandre (Alex) Lefebvre about his latest book, Liberalism as a way of life, from Princeton University Press. Alex is a is professor of Politics and Philosophy at The University of Sydney. We go into the main thesis of the publication, and how to have a good life with liberal values and ideas. This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration wit...

What impact has populism on our democracies? What are the common misconceptions of China in the West? Are the views of Russia and geopolitics in general evolving? And what is the role of modern France in Europe? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Guy Sorman, an economist and a political scientist. He is the Chair of the Board, Center for French culture, New York University and a Prof...

In this episode, we discuss the chapter titled "European Union Chemicals and the Challenge of EU Industrial Autonomy" from the ELF publication Sustainable? Competitive? The EU’s Industrial Autonomy – Facts and Fantasies by Emma Argutyan. Emma, the Director General of the European Chemical Employers Group (ECEG), talks about the sector's advantages and needs. The conversation also explores how to i...

In this episode we talk about Russia expanding its influence beyond Europe, with Martin Vladimirov, the Director of the Energy and Climate Program at the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD) in Bulgaria. This is the last episode of a collaboration with CSD and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation Office in East and Southeast Europe. The conversation is focused on the report: 'Strategic Decoupling P...

What is the importance of the Labor party's landslide victory in recent UK election? What is the new social and economic policy for the United Kingdom? And what will the development of postindustrial cities look like? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Jason Stockwood, a writer and a businessman who tries to help redefine the next era of capitalism to be more inclusive. Currently, he...

Should Russian and Belorussian players participate in the Olympic Games? In this episode we go back into our conversations with authors from Libertas, the official magazine of LYMEC, the youth organisation of the ALDE Party and the Renew Europe parliamentary group, this time with Ilakha Hakhramanova, Editor at Libertas and Policy Officer at the European Youth of Ukraine organisation. The conversat...

What is the relation between culture and populism? What should we know about EU cultural policy? And what is the role of philanthropy in shaping modern culture? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Isabelle Schwarz, the Head of Public Policy at the European Cultural Foundation (ECF) in Amsterdam. Previously, she was the Director of ENCATC (European Network of Cultural Management and Cu...

In this episode we talk about the European elections with the Secretary General of ALDE Party Didrik de Schaetzen, with a focus on the results of liberals and democrats, what it is in store for the next five years, and how can ELF and its Member Organisations help. This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the...

How to interpret the recent EU election results? What does it all mean for the EU green and global agenda? Are we experiencing a swing to the right? And is the EU a global player? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Pat Cox, former President of the European Parliament, currently the European Coordinator for the Scandinavian-Mediterranean TEN T (transport) Core Network Corridor, Leader...

Fighting Russia’s dark power with the bright power of enacted values - Conversation with Valeria Korablyova, sociologist and political theorist working on post-Soviet transformations in Ukraine and the region. The conversation is based on the chapter Valeria wrote for the ELF publication "Putin-s Europe". This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Libera...

Can societies function without systems of punishment? What is the alternative to prisons? How does the system treat criminals? And is there any room for compassion in the criminal justice system? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Disa Jironet, who has worked for the Dutch Prosecutors’ Office since 2008, and in the role of prosecutor since 2017. She has previously specialized in yout...

What was it like to grow up in Kosovo in the 1990s? What are the current relations between Kosovo and the European Union? Will civic partnership be introduced in Kosovo thanks to the efforts of the young progressive generation? And will violence return to the Balkans? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Besa Luci, the Chief Editor and co-founder of Kosovo 2.0, a print and multimedia m...