Shows
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureIs real change coming to Serbia?Serbia’s government has come under intense pressure since a deadly disaster at Novi Sad’s main railway station last November. Student-led protests have spiralled into a nation-wide resistance movement and for months, Serbians have been speaking out against corruption, a lack of accountability, and a culture of impunity in Aleksandar Vučić’s regime. But if you’re listening to this from Western Europe, or indeed much of the rest of the world, the odd headline is probably all you’ve seen.
What are these protests really about? And what makes them different? This week, an in-de...
2025-06-0543 minThe Europeans | European news, politics and cultureTesla, Turkey, and unnecessary trashWe're taking the Schadenfreude approach to the chaos that Trump's tariffs have unleashed upon Europe (and the rest of the world). This week, our favourite Luxembourger Nina Lamparski joins Dominic to explain why sales of Elon Musk's Tesla cars have already plunged in Europe and could now fare even worse thanks to his best bud's trade policies. We're also joined by Turkish political scientist Ezgi Başaran to discuss why President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is feeling liberated in a time that's been dubbed 'springtime for autocrats' — and whether the huge protests against him could change that. Plus, is Spain's cleve...
2025-04-1056 minThe Europeans | European news, politics and cultureBig news for The Europeans!Producers Katz and Wojciech join Katy and Dominic to share a couple of nuggets of exciting news for The Europeans.
You can find out all about our new partners at Euranet Plus, a network of radio stations across Europe, here.
And you can read all about our crowdfunded mini-series 'Who Does It Best?' — and contribute, if you'd like! — here.
Maja and Uršula's show, Šala za starše, can be found here and you can find Jasmin's work here.
Thanks so much for listening. If you enjoy our podcasts, we'd love it if you'd consider supporting our work. You can chip in to help u...
2025-03-1117 minThe Europeans | European news, politics and cultureCold water, warm heartsAs the winter chill sets in, throngs of Europeans are heading each week to the nearest pond, lake or coastline to dunk themselves voluntarily in freezing cold water. Cold swimming has centuries of history on this continent, but why do it? This week we're delving into the science of why it makes us feel good — but also why it helps so many people through difficult times, with the help of Katharina Smets, audio maker and proud member of Antwerp's biggest cold plunge club. We're also talking about the Vatican's Christmas tree drama and a festive inflation-busting policy in Greece.
This fina...
2024-12-1158 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThis Is What A Generation Sounds Like: KingaThis week, we're re-releasing another of our all-time favourite episodes to entertain your ears during our summer break. First aired in 2022, it's a story from our long-running series, 'This Is What A Generation Sounds Like', and it takes us to Georgia.
Thanks for listening! We'll be back in September. If you enjoy our podcast, we'd love it if you'd consider chipping in a few bucks a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast (many currencies are available). You can also help new listeners find the show by leaving us a review or giving us five stars on Spotify.
Producers: Wojciech Oleksiak and Kinga Goc
Mixing, mastering and sound design...
2024-08-1532 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThis Is What A Generation Sounds Like: SaraWe're away on our summer break until September, but this week and next week we're re-releasing two of our favourite episodes from The Europeans' award-winning series, 'This Is What A Generation Sounds Like.
This week, a story that spans three generations of women: Sara, her mother, and her grandmother. In their collective lifetimes, Albania entered a communist dictatorship; the regime fell; and then there was a transition. And through it all, there was a dish: trahana.
This episode first aired in 2021. You can find a beautiful visual version of this podcast, produced by our friends at...
2024-08-0827 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and culture'Luca'One Hungarian family. One piece of land. Two very different visions.
This is the final episode in our long-running series This Is What A Generation Sounds Like, made in cooperation with the Allianz Foundation. You can find the other episodes in the series here.
Thanks, as ever, to the listeners who support this podcast so that we can keep making it. You can chip in at patreon.com/europeanspodcast.
Producers: Katz Laszlo and Luca Borsos
Sound design: Katz Laszlo
Editors: Dominic Kraemer and Katy...
2024-07-1839 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureWhat happens after France's surprise swing to the left?A surprise left-wing election win? In Europe? In 2024? This week, we turn to our resident Parisian journalist to try to get our heads around what just happened in France, as well as what might happen next. We’re also looking at the other big left-wing winners of the week: the UK Labour Party. What might their new government mean for Britain’s relationship with Europe? Plus, Barcelona’s anti-tourist revolt and what may be the world’s toughest crackdown on Airbnb.
Thanks for listening! If you enjoy our podcast, we'd love it if you'd consider chipping...
2024-07-1154 minThe Europeans | European news, politics and cultureWhy is European cinema so different from Hollywood?Fewer expensive car chases, more moody shots and ambiguous endings: movies made in Europe are often very different from those made in the US. But Europe's more arty film output isn't just a product of our culture — it has a lot to do with how the industry is financed. This week, we're asking: why is European cinema the way it is, and should we be trying to change it? Plus, producer Wojciech Oleksiak joins Katy to discuss Europe's latest far-right alliance and why Kaja Kallas may be glad to be stepping down as Estonia's prime minister.
This episode was supported by KI...
2024-07-0452 minThe Europeans | European news, politics and culturePigeon murders, the nature restoration law, and Scandinavian family therapyEnough politics: we’ve got a nature-themed episode for you this week. Producer Katz Laszlo joins Katy to explain how Austria’s environment minister went rogue to save the EU’s hugely important nature restoration law; we’re also talking about the German town that just voted to kill all its pigeons. And in the human world: the podcast that brings Scandinavians together in their own languages. Hilde Sandvik takes us behind the scenes of ‘Norsken, svensken og dansken’, a show described as family therapy for neighbouring nations.
Thanks for listening! If you enjoy our podcast, we'd...
2024-06-2747 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThe most confusing elections of all time?The far-right surged but the centre held; somehow the two are true at once. Nearly 100 members of the new European Parliament have yet to tell us which political family they’ll be joining. And as for who’s actually going to be running the EU’s institutions for the next five years – right now, it’s anyone’s guess. How can we make sense of these European elections? Alberto Alemmano joins us to help decipher a momentous, and very confusing, moment in Europe’s democracy.
Alberto is a professor of EU law at HEC in Paris and the Co...
2024-06-2045 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureWhy give a damn about the European elections?They’re the second biggest elections on Earth. For the next four days, 373 million people are eligible to take part in the vote for the European Parliament. And yet in most EU countries, the prevailing mood is… ‘meh’.
This week, we take on the challenge of convincing you that these elections are anything but meh, with the help of one of our favourite explainers of all things EU, Beatriz Ríos.
You can follow Beatriz on Twitter here and find Politico Europe’s guide on how to vote here.
This speci...
2024-06-0636 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThe Big-Agri Bully BoysProtests by angry farmers have swept across Europe this year. But from country to country, powerful groups have taken these protests over and changed their agenda. Who are these people, and what are they up to?
This is a special episode produced in collaboration with investigative journalists from Lighthouse Reports and media partners across Europe.
This podcast was made possible by our generous Patreon supporters. If you enjoy our work, we'd love it if you'd consider chipping in a few bucks a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast (many currencies are available). You can also help new listeners find the show by ...
2024-05-3146 minThe Europeans | European news, politics and cultureCan food labels make us healthier?Across a fair chunk of Europe, we've grown used to seeing little traffic light symbols on our food packets that supposedly rate the healthiness of our food. But why might Dominic's chamomile tea get a Nutri-Score rating of C, when a diet cola gets an A? And does Giorgia Meloni have a point in claiming that the ratings are biased against Italians? This week we ring up Alie de Boer, an expert on all things food labelling, to demystify the Nutri-Score system once and for all. We're also talking about why Georgia's at a crossroads between Russia and the EU...
2024-05-0945 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThe biggest climate case that ever wasWe are re-airing one of our all time favourite episodes following this week's landmark verdict on the biggest climate case that ever was: KlimaSeniorinnen vs. Switzerland. We reported on the case in depth last year, shortly after the hearing. And now, the court rules: KlimaSeniorinnen win!
We usually see young people as the face of climate activism. In this episode, we find out how 2,000 Swiss women, all over the age of 65, took their government to court in a case that could change climate laws across Europe. And along the way, we figure out once and for all how the European...
2024-04-1449 minThe Europeans | European news, politics and cultureYOLO, Swiss pensionersThis week: two referendums and some dodgy criminal reforms. We're talking about Swiss voters' decision to treat themselves to bigger pensions, and Slovakia's battle to stop cronyism under populist prime minister Robert Fico. And ahead of Ireland's vote on International Women's Day, the historian Caitríona Beaumont joins us to ask: why, according to the Irish constitution, is a woman's place still in the home?
You can follow Cait on Twitter here and read her article for The Conversation about the 'woman in the home' clause here.
This week's Inspi...
2024-03-0745 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureAn Autocrat’s Guide to Destroying Local Media, Part 2In Part 1, you learned how illiberal regimes have used the political tools at their disposal – and their rich friends – to turn the media outlets of democratic European countries into propaganda machines. In Part 2 we’re exploring the legal tools needed to complete the job and talking to local journalists who found themselves on the receiving end of these takeovers. Finally, we’re asking: how can you stop a wannabe autocrat doing this in *your* country?
This series was funded by Journalism Fund Europe, the Allianz Foundation, and supporters of The Europeans.
Thanks for listening. If you enjoy...
2023-12-1126 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureAn Autocrat’s Guide to Destroying Local Media, Part 1It’s a playbook that’s been used by illiberal governments across Central and Eastern Europe: muzzling the media until it resembles little more than propaganda. But how exactly does one go about dismantling the free press, in a democratic country within the European Union?
In Part 1 of this two-part special, Viktória Serdült, Dimitar Ganev and our producer Wojciech Oleksiak ask: how the hell did we get here? And how did the local press become such a powerful political weapon?
This series was funded by Journalism Fund Europe, the Allianz Foundation, and supporters of The...
2023-12-0731 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThe Oatly Chronicles Part 3: Can Green Capitalism Save Us All?The Swedish oat milk brand Oatly has taken on some eyebrow-raising investments over the past few years. It insists those investments haven’t changed its proud identity as a climate-saving company – but is that really true? In the third and final episode of ‘The Oatly Chronicles’, we investigate a piggy controversy, why oat milk is so damn expensive, and whether Oatly is acting like a big, bad oat milk monopoly. And we ask: what *should* we be eating, to save the planet?
This series is funded by Journalismfund Europe and the Allianz Foundation.
2023-11-0845 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThe Oatly Chronicles Part 2: What’s The Housing Crisis Got To Do With It?Swedish oat milk company Oatly says it's on a mission to defeat the almighty dairy industry and save the planet. To do that, it claims it needs to grow into a massive corporate success — and it’s willing to take on controversial investments to get there.
In episode two of ‘The Oatly Chronicles’, we investigate what makes those investors so controversial. It takes us on a journey from green capitalism being battled out in the coffee shops of Malmö; to enormous housing protests in a post-financial crisis Spain; to… China?
This series is funded by Journalismfu...
2023-10-2738 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThe Oatly Chronicles Part 1: The Big Dairy ProblemIn 1994, the world’s first oat milk company was born in Sweden. Three decades later, Oatly is on a high-stakes mission to defeat the dairy industry – by growing into the biggest plant-based brand the world has ever seen.
Can a start-up from Malmö save us all through capitalism? This is the first episode in a three-part series, ‘The Oatly Chronicles’. This week we’re asking: just how much damage is our dairy addiction doing to the planet?
This series is funded by Journalismfund Europe and the Allianz Foundation.
Thanks for listening. If...
2023-10-1932 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureAnyone for fried jellyfish?Have you ever been stung by a jellyfish or found yourself unable to take a dip in the ocean because of them? In this week's episode, our guest, Professor Stefano Piraino, will answer the big question: What should we do about the overabundance of jellyfish in European waters? Professor Piraino and Katy Lee take a deep dive into the world of these ancient creatures, uncovering some unexpectedly fascinating quirks about jellyfish, as well as proposing a striking solution to address their burgeoning population.
We're also discussing the shady manoeuvres of the Alicante city council regarding trees and...
2023-10-0543 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and culturePolitically Charged PostOur producer Wojciech has a theory that Central and Eastern Europe, in their broadest sense, share a common trait - they do not tolerate emptiness. Any deficit or shortage is promptly filled by individuals who have come to realize that they cannot always depend on their states to provide essential services. This is precisely the theme of our interview this week, with Ilir Gashi, who shares his story of getting involved in an unofficial courier system between Kosovo and Serbia when the state postal office ceased its deliveries. Against the backdrop of recent tensions between these countries flaring up...
2023-09-2842 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureMohamedWe're on a summer break right now, but here's something to put in your ears while we're away. To celebrate the beautiful visual animation of 'Mohamed' winning Germany's prestigious CIVIS Prize, we're re-releasing the original audio podcast, one of our all-time favourite episodes.
'Mohamed' is a story about a young man living in limbo while trapped in a labyrinth of bureaucracy. You can watch the animated version here on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAg-fJcU0iw&t=2s
This was the fourth episode in our series This Is Wh...
2023-07-2730 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureWhat is Europe up to on Africa’s borders?Once upon a time, European powers drew up borders in Africa as part of their colonisation of the continent. These days the EU is increasingly interested in those borders again — including the idea of placing its own agents there to stop migrants heading towards Europe. This week we hear from investigative journalist Andrei Popoviciu about how EU funds are being used to police West African borders, often with a disturbing lack of scrutiny. We're also talking about Italy's #10secondi outrage, France's plan to subsidise clothing repairs, and artistic revenge in the 16th century.
FULL EP...
2023-07-2042 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThe biggest climate case that ever wasWe usually see young people as the face of climate activism. This week, we find out how 2,000 Swiss women, all over the age of 65, took their government to court in a case that could change climate laws across Europe. And along the way, we figure out once and for all how the European Court of Human Rights actually works.
This is a special episode made in cooperation with the Allianz Foundation, one of several podcasts we're making this year about sustainability with their support. Stay tuned later in the year to hear more.
2023-05-2649 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureEurovision vs. The Champions LeagueThis week is a bonanza for fans of Europe's two favourite competitions: the Champions League football tournament and the Eurovision Song Contest. Both are held up as events that bring Europeans together, but which one does the job better? This week we aim to settle the debate once and for all with a face-off between sports commentator Barbara Barend and Eurovision historian Dean Vuletic. We're also talking about a €300-million EU pension black hole and France's first rap awards.
Do you live in Europe, and do you enjoy this podcast? If so, you can cel...
2023-05-1143 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureLibraries: the safest spaces we have?What comes to mind when you imagine a library? Rows of books, probably. But across the continent, libraries are transforming into places that serve communities in all sorts of other ways. This week we hear from two very different libraries about how they're doing just that: Bojana Grujic of the Novi Sad City Library in Serbia and Myrto Tsilimpounidi from the Feminist Library at the Feminist Autonomous Centre in Athens. We're also talking about the fallout from Macron's trip to China, the international fight against Hungary's homophobic law, and the hallucinogenic adventures of early Europeans.
Bojana and Myrto...
2023-04-1343 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureSuspicion machines and combustion enginesIf you've claimed welfare benefits in Europe lately, there's a decent chance that authorities have used an algorithm to assess whether you might be trying to scam the system. The problem? All kinds of discrimination are baked into these calculations. This week we speak to Gabriel Geiger, one of the journalists behind an international investigation into these ‘suspicion machines’. We’re also looking back at a week of highs and lows for Europe’s climate policy, and celebrating Pompeii’s fluffy new recruits.
You can find the various pieces published as part of Lighthouse Reports’ ‘suspicion machines’ investigation her...
2023-03-3042 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureWhy would you flood a forest?Last year, conservationists deliberately flooded a Slovakian forest. Why would you do such a thing? This week we ring up the co-founder of one of the organisations behind the project, Duarte de Zoeten of Mossy Earth, to find out. We're also talking about Italy's rainbow families, a kind-of-sort-of deal between Kosovo and Serbia, and Europe's first wild river national park.
You can find Mossy Earth's YouTube channel here and their latest video about the Danube project here. Find out more about their Slovakian partners, Broz, here.
This week's Isolation Inspiration: Vrij Spel (NPO) - Arnout...
2023-03-2340 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureValeriaAn overnight career change. Switching the language you love in. This week, how war transforms your life in ways you’d never expect.
This is the final instalment of our award-winning mini-series This Is What A Generation Sounds Like, a co-production by The Europeans and Are We Europe, made in cooperation with the Allianz Foundation. You can find the other episodes, which take us from Italy to Belarus, here.
Our regular show will be back next week. Thanks as ever to the listeners who support this podcast so that we can keep making it. You ca...
2023-02-2337 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureSpies, wolves and taxesThere's been a steady drip-drip of revelations for months now that an alarming number of people in Greece have had their phones tapped. Who is behind this mass snooping, and why are they doing it? This week we call up our favourite Greek-splainer Nick Malkoutzis to unravel a complicated scandal. We're also talking about oil and gas companies' bonanza profits, and the wolf that killed Ursula von der Leyen's pony.
Nick is the co-founder and editor of MacroPolis. You can find The Agora, his excellent podcast on Greek politics, here.
This week's Isolation Inspiration: Cunk...
2023-02-0937 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureGermany’s Gonna GermanyGermany’s government has faced international criticism in recent weeks for dithering over whether or not to send tanks to Ukraine. The Leopard 2s are finally on their way — but why is Europe’s richest country so reluctant to look like a military leader? This week we’re diving into the psychology of Germany’s foreign policy with Sophia Besch, Europe fellow at the Carnegie Endowment. We’re also talking about Czechia’s anti-populist new president, and a bitter row over wine labels.
You can follow Sophia on Twitter here and find out more about her work here.
T...
2023-02-0244 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThe dark side of fine diningWhen legendary Copenhagen restaurant Noma announced that it's planning to close its doors, its star chef René Redzepi said that producing his kind of elite cuisine had become 'unsustainable'. The restaurant, and others like it, have faced vocal criticism over working practices ranging from exploitative unpaid internships to gruelling 16-hour days. This week we speak to Lisa Lind Dunbar, an industry veteran and critic of Denmark's restaurant working culture, to try to understand how fine dining went so wrong. We're also talking about Polish bison, why Turkey is blocking Sweden's NATO bid, and the Irish president's vision of a b...
2023-01-2644 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureAndreaThis week, a story about being incredibly sure you’re right about something, and then realising you weren’t. We’re heading to Cyprus for the latest instalment of our award-winning mini-series This Is What A Generation Sounds Like.
This series is a co-production by The Europeans and Are We Europe, made in cooperation with the Allianz Foundation. You can find the other episodes, which take us from Italy to Belarus, here.
Our regular show will be back next week! Thanks as ever to the listeners who support this podcast so that we can keep making...
2023-01-1935 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureMerry Christmas And A Penis Morning To You*Content warning: This episode contains some colourful language and a discussion of what happens to letters to Sinterklaas*
It's our final episode of 2022! This week we're getting into the festive spirit with Berlin-based historian Kathrin Schwarz, creator of an entire series of Christmassy European podcasts. We're also talking about Belgium's Sinterklaas postal failure, and why a 1970s Eurovision hit has gone viral in Ukraine.
This episode was recorded live on Zoom in front of an audience of our supporters! Thank you so much to everyone who chips in so that we can keep making The...
2022-12-1533 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThe Surprising Queer History of PolandIn 1932, Poland became one of the first countries in Europe to decriminalise homosexuality; today it's one of the most hostile on the continent when it comes to LGBTQ rights. This week historian Kamil Karczewski joins us to discuss Poland's little-known history as a queer pioneer, and what has changed since. We're also talking about France's crackdown on domestic flights and Ireland's amazingly successful experiment with the four-day week. Oh, and we pay a visit to the EU metaverse, so that you don't have to.
You can follow Kamil on Twitter here, and visit the EU's Global Gateway...
2022-12-0844 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureIs China trying to police people in Europe?When reports emerged of Chinese 'police service stations' operating in Europe, alarm bells began ringing across the continent. But what exactly is going on at these sites, and how worried should we be about them? This week we ring Yuan Yang, Europe-China correspondent at the Financial Times, to get a better understanding of how China works beyond its borders. We're also talking about Viktor Orbán's controversial scarf and the right not to be 'fun' at work.
You can follow Yuan on Twitter here and read her reporting on China's offshore police stations here.
This w...
2022-12-0135 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureTake your time in BarcelonaThis week we're wrestling with a big idea: time, and the lack of it. Most Europeans have experienced burnout, or felt close to it, at some point in their lives. What if we redesigned policies to give citizens their time back? To find out more, we called up Ariadna Güell Sans, one of the coordinators of the Barcelona Time Use Initiative, about how the city is using time to try to make life easier and fairer. We're also talking about incomprehensible euro-speak, and healing Franco-German relations with train tickets.
You can find Christian Rauh's study on t...
2022-11-1041 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThe one where we take over the European ParliamentLast weekend, we took over the European Parliament (kind of) along with more than 1,000 young activists from across the continent. This week we hear from some of those activists as well as from President Roberta Metsola, in a conversation recorded live on stage inside the Hemicycle. We're also talking about Germany's plans to legalise cannabis, and how to steal a Polish tram.
Katy and Dominic were hosting Level Up!, a two-day activism bootcamp organised by the European Parliament, the European Commission and the European Youth Forum, whose president Silja Markkula also spoke to us on stage.
2022-11-0342 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureKingaCan we find ways to live happily alongside people with radically different values than our own? This week, we journey to one of the most isolated corners of Europe for the sixth installment in our series ‘This Is What A Generation Sounds Like’.
A beautiful visual version of this podcast will be available soon. In the meantime, you can find the first visual podcasts in this series here.
This series is co-produced with Are We Europe and made in cooperation with Allianz Kulturstiftung, an independent not-for-profit cultural foundation committed to strengthening cohesion in Europe using the tools of art and cult...
2022-10-2032 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureHacked by HungaryWhat does it feel like to know that your government has been able to access every single message on your phone? Last year, the Hungarian investigative journalist Szabolcs Panyi found out that he'd been hacked using Pegasus spyware. This week we hear about his latest investigation, which looks at how the Orbán government managed to get hold of this incredibly powerful surveillance tool in the first place. We're also talking about last weekend's mysterious German train sabotage and growing European protests against World Cup hosts Qatar.
You can follow Szabolcs on Twitter here and read the i...
2022-10-1343 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureGolden passports, anal beads, and the world’s most complicated electionsWith fourteen governments and a three-person presidency, Bosnia and Herzegovina's political system is often described as the most complicated in the world. It's a system that was designed to keep the peace after a devastating war. But three decades on, is it still working? This week we give Aleksandar Brezar the near-impossible task of untangling the weekend's elections for us. We're also talking about Malta's golden passports and a chess scandal involving anal beads. Yes, you heard that correctly.
Aleksandar is a journalist mostly covering the Western Balkans. You can find him on Twitter here.
...
2022-10-0637 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureWhat the hell just happened in Italy?This week saw a political earthquake in Italy — albeit one that had been widely predicted. With Giorgia Meloni's far-right Brothers of Italy poised to lead the new government, just how scared should we be? We ring up the philosopher Lorenzo Marsili to help us understand what just happened. We're also talking about fair pensions for Swiss women, and a Spanish lagoon that can now call itself a person.
Lorenzo is the founder of the progressive civil society movement European Alternatives. You can follow him on Twitter here.
Thanks for listening! If you en...
2022-09-2934 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThe joys of the early internetBetween those of us who grew up before the internet and those who've never known a world without it, there's a generation of people who came of age *with* the web. This week we chat to the French-Moroccan journalist Marie Le Conte about 'Escape', a book that reflects on the vibrant, chaotic days of the early internet and what has changed since then. We're also talking about Viktor Orbán's money woes and why psychiatrists in Brussels are prescribing museum visits for mental health.
Marie tweets at @youngvulgarian. 'Escape: How a generation shaped, destroyed and survived the i...
2022-09-2236 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureEpisode 200! Sweden’s elections and a guy who used to run a countryWe're back after our summer break, and celebrating a milestone this week: our 200th episode! To mark the occasion, we're joined by a special guest, former Finnish prime minister Alexander Stubb. Now that he's training the next generation of leaders at the European University Institute in Florence, we asked him to grade the current batch on their handling of everything from the war in Ukraine to the energy crisis. We're also talking about Sweden's election, an ill-advised decision by Bosnian football bosses, and how sheep can help to fight forest fires.
Alexander Stubb is Director of the...
2022-09-1546 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureJosh and FrancoThis week, we heard that 'Josh and Franco', one of our all-time favourite episodes, has been nominated for the equivalent of an Oscar in the European podcast world: the Prix Europa. We are over the moon and thought this was a good moment to re-release the episode.
It was the first episode from our series This Is What A Generation Sounds Like and if you are watching on Spotify, you will be able to watch this podcast as it was our first attempt at creating a 'Visual Podcast', in collaboration with our friends at Are We Europe...
2022-09-0932 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureBad laws and feta warsIn the final episode before our summer break, we dive into a cheese-based conflict between Greece and Denmark and a homophobic Hungarian law that is finally being challenged by the EU in court. Plus, we ring up Una Hajdari, roaming reporter in the Western Balkans, to try to untangle why North Macedonia has had such a rough ride on its path to EU membership. And in a special pre-holiday edition of Isolation Inspiration, we've got a bumper crop of European summer reads and a chat with Gregory Warner from NPR's Rough Translation about work culture around the world.
2022-07-2141 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureFarmers, fossils and filesRussia's assault on Ukraine is driving a global food crisis, and there are calls for Europe to dramatically increase its own supplies in response. But can we do that without damaging the environment? This week we speak to former EU environment commissioner Janez Potočnik about how to ensure our food security without sacrificing ambitious climate and biodiversity plans. We're also talking about the #UberFiles, Slovenia's move to legalise same-sex marriage, and an extremely old Spaniard.
Janez is the co-chair of the UN International Resource Panel and a partner at SYSTEMIQ. You can follow him on Twitter h...
2022-07-1438 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThe bigger the better?Ukraine and Moldova have been granted candidate status to join the EU. It's a major moment in the messy process of knitting this continent together — but is a bigger European Union automatically a better one? This week we chat to Dr. Ilke Toygür about what this all means for Ukraine, Moldova and the EU itself. We're also talking about Venice's new entry fee for day-trippers, sexy Swedish waste disposal, and why Greece and Turkey are fighting over a made-up word.
Ilke is a professor of political science at the University Carlos III of Madrid and a fel...
2022-07-0738 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureYour Face Looks FamiliarMore and more European police forces are using facial recognition technology. Under an EU proposal they'd be able to share access to the millions of images they've collected – creating what critics say amounts to one of the most extensive biometric surveillance systems in the world. This week we speak to Domen Savič, head of Slovenian digital rights NGO Državljan D (Citizen D), about the tricky balance between fighting crime and protecting our privacy. We're also talking about Seville's plans to name its heatwaves and the French response to the US Supreme Court's abortion ruling. Plus, a recording of Domi...
2022-06-3037 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureIt takes more than two, babyWhen Remco Yizhak Cooremans moved home to the Netherlands after many years abroad, the authorities told him something shocking: his son wasn't legally his son. This week, we hear about Dutch plans to bring the law up to date with the realities of 21st-century parenting. We're also talking about Roman trash and minimum wages you can actually live on.
Remco is the chairman of Meer dan Gewenst. If you're interested in the multi-parenting law, you can catch him speaking at De Balie in Amsterdam on June 16, and it's being streamed online too. Details here.
This...
2022-06-1636 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureWhat is Orbán playing at?In the EU's complicated efforts to present a united front on Ukraine, Viktor Orbán stands out like a sore thumb. Why is Orbán cosying up to Vladimir Putin? This week, we catch up with longtime Orbán-watcher Viktória Serdült on what game the Hungarian leader might be playing. We're also talking about the toxic row engulfing Germany's documenta fifteen festival, and a gamechanger for annoying customer service calls in Spain.
Viktória is a journalist at HVG, one of the few remaining bastions of independent media in Hungary. You can follow her on Twitte...
2022-06-0937 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureHannaFrom Minsk and London, a story about the meaning of freedom. Hanna Komar, a poet, was jailed for her activism in Belarus. This week, she tells us what it’s like to move from a place where people have to fight for basic rights, to a place where people take them for granted.
This is the fifth episode in our series This Is What A Generation Sounds Like: intimate stories from young Europeans across the continent.
A beautiful visual version of this podcast will be available later this year. In the meantime, check out the first visual podcast in this se...
2022-06-0228 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureMoldova’s Propaganda ProblemMoldova represents a prime example of social media giants' failure to tackle disinformation in smaller and less wealthy countries — in this case, with hugely dangerous potential consequences. This week we speak to civil society activist Diana Filimon about the propaganda war that Russia has been waging in countries neighbouring Ukraine. We're also talking about Germany's €9 transport experiment, the morality of a lockdown for cats, and scallop discothèques.
You can find out more about Diana's work at Forum Apulum here and read Philip Oltermann's reporting on racism claims against Berlin ticket inspectors here.
This week's Isolati...
2022-05-2642 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureSolar-Powered ScrollingKris de Decker's balcony in Barcelona is nice and sunny. Which is just as well, because a website depends on it. This week we chat to Kris, co-founder of Low-Tech Magazine, about why he built a solar-powered website and how human history can inspire modern environmental solutions. We're also talking about foie gras, faux gras, and bringing EU and non-EU Europe together.
You can check out the solar-powered version of Low-Tech Magazine's website here.
This week's Isolation Inspiration: 'Today in Focus - The Wagatha Christie case'; 'Multiples: 12 stories in 18 languages by 61 authors'; this vegan foie...
2022-05-1240 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureDoctor EurovisionWe know, we know, not everyone loves Eurovision — but we think you'll enjoy this week's interview even if you're not as nuts about the annual celebration of euro-kitsch as we are. Dr Dean Vuletic is the world's pre-eminent Eurovision historian, and we were delighted to talk to him about how the contest came into being and why it's always been so political. We're also talking about the EU's Russian oil embargo, a row over WWII reparations in 2022, and a first for wind power in the Mediterranean.
We'll be running a Eurovision sweepstake for our Patreon supporters on th...
2022-05-0538 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureMohamedThis week, a story about Mohamed, living in limbo while trapped in a labyrinth of bureaucracy.
This is the fourth episode from our series This Is What A Generation Sounds Like: intimate stories from young Europeans across the continent.
A beautiful visual version of this podcast will be available later this year. In the meantime, check out the first visual podcast in this series: Josh and Franco.
This series is co-produced with Are We Europe and is made in cooperation with Allianz Kulturstiftung, an independent not-for-profit cultural foundation committed to strengthening cohesion in Europe using the tools of art and...
2022-04-2829 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureCan the EU fix fast fashion?Every year, Europeans chuck away millions of tons of clothing. The EU has a new plan to tackle the huge environmental impact of the fashion and textile industry — but can it make a difference? We asked the model and activist Nimue Smit to take a look. We're also talking about the UK's extremely controversial plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, and a legal leap forward for Spain's single parents.
This week's Isolation Inspiration: Lithuanian clothing exchange Vinted, and Belgian Netflix comedy 'Soil' ('Grond').
A few things Nimue mentioned that listeners might want to check ou...
2022-04-2138 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureKaty went to Le Pen’s party so you didn’t have toIiiiit's French election week! Katy spent the big night at Le Pen HQ. This week, in a Europeans first, Dominic and Katz turn the microphone on our resident French person to ask: what just happened? And could Marine Le Pen really become France's first far-right president?
We're also talking about the soaring cost of housing (again) and the European microstate that just pulled off an LGBTQ+ world first.
You can listen to Cody Hochstenbach calling for a revolution in housing policy here and find the latest figures from Eurostat here. And you can read here...
2022-04-1232 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureFinnish LessonsWe're back! And we're headed into the classroom. Kids across Europe have very different experiences of school depending on where they live and how rich their parents are. One country that's been praised for getting public education right is Finland. This week we speak to education professor Pasi Sahlberg about what the world can learn from the Finnish way.
We're also talking about Orbán's victory, bridging Europe's North-South divide, and a particularly special edition of El Clásico.
Pasi is Professor of Education at Southern Cross University. You can read more about his work he...
2022-04-0741 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureVoice notes from UkraineBefore the war, Vladimir was a film producer and Yuriy was a journalist. Daria works in marketing, Andrii is a musician, and Anna is a human resources manager for an IT company. This week we asked five Ukrainians to send us some voice messages, documenting their thoughts and feelings since the world turned upside down on February 24.
You can donate to the International Committee of the Red Cross's Ukraine appeal here.
Many thanks to Daria Barakhta, Andrii Kovalov, Yuriy Matsarsky, Anna Tolstaia, and Vladimir Yatsenko for sharing their thoughts with us. Vladimir continues to film...
2022-03-1411 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureArmy bootsWe're struggling to process what has happened on this continent over the past week. With events moving incredibly fast on the ground, we wanted to reflect on the human cost of conflict in Ukraine. The writer and historian Olesya Khromeychuk, director of the Ukrainian Institute London, joins us to read an excerpt from her book 'A Loss', about her brother's death on the frontline in 2017. We also hear from our producer Wojciech Oleksiak about how the Russian invasion feels different if you're following the news from Central or Eastern Europe compared to further West. Plus, the sound of Europeans...
2022-03-0233 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureLet Them Entertain UsThis week, the case for culture: keeping it free, and keeping it funded. We're talking about the state of artistic freedom in Poland; plus, the state of Europe's live music industry, with Elise Phamgia of Liveurope and Janine Cathrein of Swiss indie folk band Black Sea Dahu. Also on the agenda: what to do with problematic statues in Brussels.
Black Sea Dahu are touring again! You can find tour dates and more on their website, and listen on Spotify.
Isolation Inspiration: Liveurope's artists to watch out for in 2022; Ukrainian war literature in translation; Édouard Louis...
2022-02-2440 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureWTF, housing market?From Ireland to Croatia, the cost of housing has been shooting up across this continent, leaving rising numbers of people homeless and millions struggling to pay the rent. This week Amsterdam city geographer Cody Hochstenbach, whose new book Uitgewoond argues for a revolution in housing policy, is here to explain how we ended up in this mess — and what we might do to fix it. We're also talking about Spanish orcas, lost teeth, and a Europe without Facebook and Instagram.
You can read El País' long read on the changing face of Spain's drug trade here, and...
2022-02-1739 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureA Whale of a TaxonomyWhat do nuclear energy and whale-hunting have in common? They're both at the heart of controversial debates about whether they can ever be described as 'sustainable'. This week we delve into a questionable EU anti-greenwashing effort, as well as Iceland's mooted plan to put a ban on commercial whaling. We're also looking at the revamp of one of Venice's most historic buildings, the Procuratie Vecchie. Emma Ursich, whose NGO The Human Safety Net will be among its new occupants, is here to explain why the building is opening its doors after half a millennium closed to the public.
2022-02-1036 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThe Case for ColourTaryn de Vere set herself a joyful challenge in January: to dress up each day as a household object, from a bottle of toilet cleaner to a sack of potatoes. This week, the person dubbed Possibly The Most Colourful Woman in Ireland joins us to make the case for injecting a little more fun into our wardrobes. We're also talking about ghost flights, a relaxing Berlin transport initiative, and whether Italy's 80-year-old president will ever be allowed to retire.
You can follow Taryn on Instagram here and on Twitter here.
This week's Isolation Inspiration: 'Into...
2022-02-0338 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureMalta’s abortion tabooWhen the European parliament elected a new president last week, many of the headlines focused on one thing: the fact that she's against abortion. But Roberta Metsola's public stance is not at all unusual in a country with one of the strictest abortion bans in the world. This week we're asking: where does this incredibly strong taboo come from? Researcher and activist Liza Caruana-Finkel is here to fill us in. We're also talking about Chinese influence at European universities, and the case of a toilet that went all the way to Italy's Supreme Court.
'Why it is...
2022-01-2736 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureEnergy bills, bills, billsWe're back for a brand new year of stories from across the continent. Top of the agenda is an issue that's been worrying a lot of Europeans: eye-wateringly expensive energy bills. Energy expert Marine Cornelis is here to explain why this is happening and what can be done about it. We're also catching up on Ukraine and a transatlantic cheese dispute.
Marine is the founder of Next Energy Consumer and the host of the Energ'ethic podcast.
This week's Isolation Inspiration: Young Royals, Stromae's new single, and Angèle.
Thanks for listening! If you e...
2022-01-2037 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThe Europeans’ Christmas Party!We threw a little party for our last episode of the year! Producers Katz Laszlo and Wojciech Oleksiak join Katy and Dominic from Amsterdam and Warsaw to discuss elephant retirement, tree fraud, and festive traditions around Europe. Local snacks included.
This week's Isolation Inspiration: Women at War, Draumalandið by Valgeir Sigurðsson, The Way Home: Tales from a Life Without Technology by Mark Boyle, and Are We Europe: Online Lies, Offline Lives.
Thank you so much for listening to The Europeans in 2021. We'll be back on January 20. If you enjoy our podcast and would like to...
2021-12-1635 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThe life of a reindeer herderIt's that time of year when reindeer start cropping up on all kinds of Christmassy consumer goods, from snowglobes to Advent calendars. But for the indigenous Sámi people of northern Europe, herding these remarkable animals is a way of life — and one that is increasingly under threat. This week we speak to Sámi herder and climate change expert Jannie Staffansson about her community's intimate and profound relationship with reindeer. It's an animal-themed episode this week, so we're also talking about a bee miracle in the Canary Islands, and how a European sheep can somehow be rare and a th...
2021-12-0936 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThe Subtle Art of SubtitlingMillions of us have spent this pandemic bingeing on international films and television, transported far away through the magic of the screen. But there's an underappreciated army of workers who make it all possible: the subtitlers. This week we chat to Russian subtitler Max Deryagin about how Netflix has shaken up the industry and why things sometimes get lost in translation. We're also talking about the new Germany, the failures of Britain's asylum policy, and the woman on Romania's new 20 lei banknote.
This week's Isolation Inspiration: Steve Rosenberg's interview with Alexander Lukashenko, this episode of the BBC's...
2021-12-0240 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureMove Fast And Fix Things'Move fast and break things' was Facebook's corporate philosophy in its early days. Europe now wants to do the opposite when it comes to the harmful effects of social media: move fast and fix things. This week we're taking a look at the EU's plan to rein in the tech giants with the help of one of our favourite European tech nerds, Guillermo Beltrà of the Open Society European Policy Institute. We've also got a special Outer Space edition of Good Week Bad Week.
This podcast was produced in collaboration with the Open Society European Policy Institute. Y...
2021-11-2536 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and culturePushbacksIt’s dawn in the Aegean Sea. A dozen asylum seekers are crammed into a rubber dinghy, hoping to land on the Greek island of Lesbos. They are already within EU waters — and they have the right, under international law, to claim asylum. But a huge ship is blocking their way.
This week we are looking at the phenomenon of pushbacks: illegal efforts to push people back across a border so that they cannot claim asylum. And we’re looking at mounting evidence that the EU’s border agency, Frontex, has witnessed or even participated in these pushback...
2021-11-1845 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureTrapped at the EU borderA humanitarian crisis is unfolding at the edge of the EU. Asylum seekers are finding themselves trapped in the forest between Poland and Belarus, caught up in a political game, and literally freezing to death. Marta Górczyńska, a migration lawyer who has been helping some of the new arrivals, explains what's happening on the ground and what international law has to say about this shameful situation. We're also talking about the Council of Europe's hijab fiasco and Italy's mafia maxi-trial. Plus, a tale of cough sweets and generosity.
We have some tickets to give away to see some gre...
2021-11-1140 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureSaraThis week, a story that spans three generations of women: Sara, her mother, and her grandmother. In their collective lifetimes, Albania entered a communist dictatorship; the regime fell; and then there was a transition. And through it all, there was a dish: trahana.
This is the third episode from our series This Is What A Generation Sounds Like: intimate stories from young Europeans across the continent.
A beautiful visual version of this podcast, as well as the previous episode, ‘Denisa’, will be available soon! In the meantime, check out the first visual podcast in this series: Josh and Franco.
This seri...
2021-11-0426 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureWill Europe’s climate policy save us all?Fit for 55 sounds like a plan to get middle-aged people to exercise, but it is in fact one of the most ambitious climate policies on the planet. But is it enough to make a difference? This week, in collaboration with the Open Society European Policy Institute, our favourite climate explainer Emily Stewart breaks down Europe's plan for us. Is Fit for 55 fit for purpose? And can Europe turn it into a reality without sparking a continent-wide social revolt?
You can follow Emily on Twitter here and find out more about OSEPI's work here.
This episode...
2021-10-2126 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureWhat the hell just happened in Poland?Wondering why everyone is suddenly talking about the prospect of a 'Polexit'? This week we're talking to excellent Polandsplainer Jakub Jaraczewski about why the government in Warsaw has just got itself into a huge legal mess. We're also talking about the downfall of Austria's Wunderkind, why so many young Spaniards live with their parents, and the mysterious power of the European chestnut.
Jakub is a research coordinator at Democracy Reporting International. You can follow him here on Twitter.
This week's Isolation Inspiration: the Earthshot Prize on Saturday, October 16, and 'On Time And Water' by Andri...
2021-10-1430 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThe château, the walrus and the rogue Danish artistThis week we're delving into the Czech PM's secret purchase of a French château, an extremely bold Danish artistic experiment, and, oh yes, Wally the Walrus' tour of the European coastline. Plus, political scientist Arndt Leininger is here to decrypt the German election for us.
For excellent German politics nerdery you can follow Arndt on Twitter here, and for a Pandora Papers deep-dive into Andrej Babiš and his French château, head to the ICIJ.
This week's Isolation Inspiration: Anna Learns A New Language; Darknet Diaries
Got a better name for our Iso...
2021-10-0739 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureSubmarines and rainbow familiesThis week, Katy’s plunging into the depths of the French Submarine Saga and Dominic’s delving into some tentatively good developments for LGBTQ parents in Europe. Plus, the speech we were all waiting for! Or not. One of our favourite journalists within the Brussels bubble, the Spanish reporter Beatriz Ríos, is here to unravel Ursula von der Leyen's State of the European Union for us.
We can’t wait to see some of you at our first-ever live show in Amsterdam on Friday! For those of you who can’t join us, don’t fear – a recording w...
2021-09-2339 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThe Belarus solidarity algorithmA year into the protest movement in Belarus, what are things like on the ground? This week we talk to the poet Hanna Komar about her own experience in detention, and the extraordinary "algorithm" of solidarity among women in the movement. We're also talking about Russian gas, Norwegian oil, and the magnificence of Emma Raducanu.
You can read Hanna's article, 'Sisterhood behind bars', here.
This week's Isolation Inspiration: Lykke Li and Robyn on Song Exploder; The Book of Reykjavik.
There are still a few tickets left for our first ever live show, in...
2021-09-1636 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureIs Friday the new Saturday?We're back from our summer break with an enticing idea: what would happen if we only worked four days a week? Far from spelling economic disaster, the Portuguese economist Pedro Gomes argues it would boost the economy and our well-being at the same time. We chat to him about his excellent new book, 'Friday Is The New Saturday: How A Four-Day Week Will Save The Economy'. We're also talking about naughty European banks, a lucky Neapolitan scratchcard, and — of course! — the return of ABBA.
We're doing our first ever live show at the Podcastfestival in Amsterdam on Frid...
2021-09-0934 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureDenisaWe tend to talk about freedom of movement within the EU as an abstract concept. In reality, moving to a new place involves a million little moments of awkwardness, sweetness, and human vulnerability. This week, we bring you a story of what freedom of movement actually felt like, for a 14-year-old Romanian moving to Germany.
This is the second episode from our series This Is What A Generation Sounds Like: intimate stories from young Europeans across the continent.
A beautiful visual version of this podcast will be available soon! In the meantime, check out the first visual podcast in this...
2021-07-0127 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThe plastics law, revisitedA whole bunch of plastic objects are about to become illegal across the European Union: everything from coffee stirrers to straws and cotton buds. As we count down to the big day on July 3, we're revisiting last year's special episode about how the EU is even able to make laws like this for 27 countries. This week we're asking: "How the hell do you make an EU law?"
Originally released in February 2020, this episode was part of our mini-series Bursting the Bubble, an attempt to explain how EU institutions work in the least boring way possible. Huge thanks...
2021-06-1735 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureJosh and FrancoWe have a very special episode for you this week. From the south of Italy, a father and son's coming of age stories, told in parallel.
This is the first episode of our series This Is What A Generation Sounds Like: intimate stories from across the continent, as told by the young Europeans experiencing them.
This series is produced with Are We Europe and made in cooperation with Allianz Kulturstiftung, an independent not-for-profit cultural foundation committed to strengthening cohesion in Europe using the tools of art and culture. Find out more at kulturstiftung.allianz.de.
Producers: Katz Laszlo and Josh...
2021-05-2733 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and culturePhilip and LaciPhilip recently found out that his classmate was a member of a far-right group. This is what happened when the two of them sat down to talk.
This podcast was made possible by our Patreon supporters. If you'd like to help us keep making The Europeans, you can support us here: patreon.com/europeanspodcast.
Reporting by Philip Pollak; production by Katy Lee and Dominic Kraemer; editing by Katy Lee; artwork by Rosa ter Kuile; music by Jim Barne. With huge thanks to Natalie Nougayrède and Emily Schultheis for their editorial advice.
The o...
2020-12-0927 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThe Chain, part threeIn this final installment of European love letters, we're travelling from Hungary to Germany, Germany to Russia, and across the border to Norway. We're celebrating the books that stay with us for a lifetime — and books that seem to have a life of their own. And we're heading to the Arctic with an extremely stubborn grandmother.
The Chain is presented by Mick ter Reehorst and is a collaboration with Are We Europe as part of the Summer of Solidarity, a pop-up collaborative journalism project. Find out more at https://www.summerofsolidarity.eu.
The stories you he...
2020-08-1919 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThe Chain, part twoWe're hopping from Sweden to France, France to Spain, and Spain to Austria for part two of The Chain, a series of love-letters from Europeans to each other's countries. This week we're climbing a volcano, feasting on chocolate cake, and seeing Europe through a dog's eyes.
The Chain is presented by Mick ter Reehorst and is a collaboration with Are We Europe as part of the Summer of Solidarity, a pop-up collaborative journalism project. Find out more at https://www.summerofsolidarity.eu.
The stories you heard were written by Julie Lindahl, Sedera Ranaivoarinosy and Marta...
2020-08-1418 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThe Chain, part oneIntroducing The Chain: a series of love-letters from Europeans to each other's countries.
This week we're hopping from Romania to the Netherlands, the Netherlands to Italy, Italy to Bosnia and Herzegovina. We'll hear about a mountain, a monument from a non-existent country, and a life-changing conversation in a soap shop.
The Chain is presented by Mick ter Reehorst and is a collaboration with Are We Europe as part of the Summer of Solidarity, a pop-up collaborative journalism project. Find out more at https://www.summerofsolidarity.eu.
The stories you heard were written and...
2020-08-0619 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureHow the hell do you make an EU law?We've been wondering how on earth the European Union makes laws for 27 countries at once. Producer Katz Laszlo went to the beach to find out.
This is the last episode in our mini-series Bursting the Bubble, explaining how the EU works in the least boring way possible.
Huge thanks to the European Cultural Foundation for funding this series. They support projects that promote Europe as an open and democratic space. Thank you also to the amazing Patreon supporters who keep this show running, and to The Europeans' tote bag designer and beach trash collector Rosa...
2020-02-0530 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureFanya and the ForestThis week, Katy heads to the forest in Lithuania. Ahead of International Holocaust Memorial Day on January 27, we're talking about memory politics with a formidable 97-year-old.
This is the last podcast in our mini-series Postcards from Europe, featuring intimate portraits of lives and places across the continent. It was made possible by the European Cultural Foundation, who support initiatives that rethink Europe as an open and democratic space.
This podcast was written, produced and edited by Katy Lee, with help from Sonia Zhuravlyova, Dominic Kraemer and Katz Laszlo. Voiceover by Haya Vardy. Music provided by...
2020-01-2224 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureA fisherman goes to BrusselsThis week, a story that puts the romance back into European policy negotiations. What does a ninth-generation Catalan fisherman have to do with a law that affects an entire continent? Quite a lot, it turns out.
This is the third in our series of original reported podcasts, Postcards from Europe, featuring intimate portraits of lives and places across the continent. It was made possible by the European Cultural Foundation, who support initiatives that rethink Europe as an open and democratic space.
This podcast was written, produced and edited by Katz Laszlo. Editing and production assistance...
2020-01-0826 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureA bar in BudapestIn Budapest, going out for a drink can be a political act. For the final episode of 2019, Dominic takes us to Auróra, a very special bar at the heart of the fightback against Hungary's authoritarian government.
This is the second in our new series of original reported podcasts, Postcards from Europe, featuring intimate portraits of lives and places across the continent.
This series was made possible by the European Cultural Foundation, who support initiatives that rethink Europe as an open and democratic space.
Thank you also to our generous Patreon supporters and t...
2019-12-1721 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and culturePostcards from Europe: HerstedvesterFor this special episode, we're taking you inside Herstedvester, a maximum-security prison in Denmark.
Herstedvester houses prisoners with serious mental health issues, as well as those who are considered a danger to others. Lene Bech Sillesen went to meet some inmates who are facing a choice with drastic consequences.
This is the first in our new series of original reported podcasts, Postcards from Europe, featuring intimate portraits of lives and places across the continent. It was made possible by the European Cultural Foundation, who support initiatives that rethink Europe as an open and democratic space.
2019-11-1921 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureBananadrama This week, a celebration of the quintessential Renaissance man: yes, it's opera singer Dominic Kraemer with an interview about CHEMICAL ELEMENTS. We're also marking the 500th deathday of some guy called Leonardo who was similarly talented in both the arts and sciences.
In Poland, the art world has gone bananas; in Spain, there's life in socialism yet; and British chemist and YouTube sensation Martyn Poliakoff is here to explain why he wants to turn the periodic table upside down, literally.
In a week when we won a big prize, we want to say...
2019-05-0732 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureKraemer vs Kraemer This week, two Kraemers for the price of one! Dominic's brother, BBC political nerd Daniel Kraemer, is here to explain why Britain has the weirdest parliament in Europe. Don't worry, we kept the B-word chat to a minimum. Plus: Macron and Merkel's Duolingo pact, Ronaldo's millions, and the kindest grandma on the continent.
Thanks so much to everyone who's signed up to support us on Patreon! If you like the show and have a tiny bit of cash to spare, you can join our kind donors at patreon.com/europeanspodcast.
Follow Daniel on...
2019-01-2927 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThe Bee WordThis week, the need for more buzz around Europe: the bee kind, and the excitement kind. Our very special guest to round off the year (and keep Katy company while Dominic was rolling around on the floor) is the Dutch writer Joris Luyendijk, who despite having been named Bad News reporter for De Correspondent has more hope than you might think for this continent as we roll into 2019. Trigger warning: there's a mention or two of the b-word as we talk about why Europe ain't so boring and the mysteries of the British psyche. Plus: Powerfrauen; an all-too-human robot, and...
2018-12-1833 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureFeb 20: Olympic gold, Dominic is old, Katy has a coldWe've got two birthdays to celebrate this week. Independent Kosovo is officially 10, and your host Dominic Kraemer is officially old. Congrats to both!
As Kosovo marks 10 years since declaring independence from Serbia, we give our man in the Balkans Andrew MacDowall a call to explain the challenges that lie ahead for Europe's youngest country. Meanwhile, Katy's been huddling under a duvet in Paris with a cold this week -- a great excuse to obsess over the Winter Olympics, not least that amazing Scottish invention, curling. Team Finland's Oona Kauste is on the line all the way from South Korea with...
2018-02-2031 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureNov 28: Katy smells the moneyIiiiiiit’s the first ever episode of The Europeans! In which Katy smells the money wafting off European agencies and Dominic gets chased by angry French nudists. Elsewhere, we chat to journalist Frank Zeller in Berlin about Germany’s very un-German lack of a government, and Ania Jakubek in Warsaw about Frida Kahlo’s ties to Poland.
2017-11-2826 min
The Europeans | European news, politics and cultureThe TrailerThe Europeans is a moderately amusing podcast hosted by Katy Lee, a reporter in Paris, and Dominic Kraemer, an opera singer in Amsterdam. Every week we call each other up to chat about what’s been happening around the continent, and we call up friends and interesting people to see what’s been going on where they are. If you’re looking for a podcast about Europe in English that isn’t waaay serious or just about Brexit, you’ve come to the right place. Out on Tuesdays!
2017-11-1901 min