Europod • News

All eyes are on Budapest this weekend, where the annual Pride march has been banned by Hungarian authorities, citing laws against so-called “LGBTQ propaganda”. But the parade is going ahead anyway on Saturday,  and so are the politics.Among those attending is MEP Daniel Freund, who has long criticised Viktor Orbán’s government for its attacks on democracy, civil society, and LGBTQ rights. In this episode, we speak to him about the proposed Transparency of Public Life law, the ban, what’s at stake for Hungary and the EU, and is Brussels finally ready to get serious?Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram

€72,461 per bed. That’s how much Italy is now spending to build offshore migrant centres in Albania, more than 11 times the cost of similar facilities at home according to an investigation published by Follow the Money. This was Giorgia Meloni’s grand plan: a tough-on-migration deal to transfer those intercepted at sea to Albania, fast-track their asylum claims, and repatriate them. Her government called it “extraordinary”, and the EU’s Ursula von der Leyen even praised it as “out-of-the-box thinking.”But why has Italy’s offshore migration policy evolved into a costly and legally questionable scheme?Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram

The NATO summit is underway in The Hague. Leaders have gathered, speeches are being made, and Mark Rutte, NATO’s Secretary-General is doing his best to keep the vibes up and the Americans on board. But what’s at stake and what can we expect on the war in Ukraine and Iran?Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram

What does it really mean to be a rainbow family in the European Union? In this episode of Europe Talks Back,we explore the promise, and the shortcomings of the European Certificate of Parenthood, a regulation meant to ensure that parenthood rights are recognised across all 27 EU countries. From Spain to Bulgaria, Italy to Poland, we look at what’s happening when same-sex families cross borders, only to find that their legal status doesn’t always travel with them. To unpack the legal grey zones, the clash between national sovereignty and EU law, and what all this means for the children caught in between, we spoke with Professor Alina Tryfonidou, an expert in EU law and a leading voice on LGBTIQ+ rights. Despite hopeful rulings from EU courts, many rainbow families remain in limbo, a stark reminder that equality on paper doesn't always mean equality in practice.Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram

The European Commission announced it intends to withdraw the Green Claims Directive, a law proposed to stop companies from falsely marketing themselves or their products as environmentally friendly, unless those claims are backed by solid evidence. This directive had already made it through several rounds of negotiations between the European Parliament and national governments and it was close to being finalised. So, how did we get here and who is pushing the Commission to withdraw it?Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram

Today Foreign Affairs ministers are gathering in Brussels for a Council that was never going to be easy. Because in the last 72 hours, everything has turned into a geopolitical balancing act. EU foreign ministers arrived expecting to discuss Israel’s war in Gaza. That alone is a diplomatic minefield. But then came the twist with US President Donald Trump ordering airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, dragging the EU into a broader Middle East crisis, whether it’s ready for it or not.  But will the EU follow through with action or just statements?Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram

In France’s Champagne region a high-profile human trafficking trial is raising serious questions about working conditions in one of Europe’s most luxurious industries.Three people, a woman from Kyrgyzstan, a Georgian man, and a French national, are on trial in Châlons-en-Champagne. They’re accused of trafficking and exploiting over 50 undocumented workers during the 2023 grape harvest. How widespread is exploitation in the seasonal labour force and what does this mean for the industry? Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram

A brewing foreign policy storm is putting the EU’s diplomatic resolve to the test.Foreign ministers from some of Europe’s most powerful countries, France, Germany, and the UK, are meeting with their Iranian counterpart in a bid to de-escalate a crisis that risks spiraling into an all-in war between Israel and Iran. Can European diplomacy influence the course of this crisis?Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram

The EU’s most powerful member state is clashing with its biggest political party and the fight is about money. Yes, the EU’s budget is back in the spotlight, and it’s starting to look like a family feud. The European People’s Party says: if we expect Europe to do more, then we need to spend more. But Berlin is holding the wallet tight and is refusing to contribute a cent extra. But what does this mean for the EU’s next budget and for the political power play behind it?Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram