Brussels Playbook Podcast

French presidential hopeful Jordan Bardella wants Brussels to know that if he reaches the Élysée, he won’t follow Italian PM Giorgia Meloni’s path from insurgent outsider to pragmatic EU power broker. POLITICO’s Marion Solletty joins Zoya Sheftalovich and Nick Vinocur to discuss her wide-ranging interview with the far-right leader — including his plans to confront the EU, his pitch to French voters, and what his rise could mean for Europe.

Then, Zoya and Nick preview the G7 summit in Évian, where Emmanuel Macron’s challenge is to keep Donald Trump engaged as leaders discuss China, Ukraine and the Middle East.

Plus: Brussels is banning shared e-scooters from 2027.

Nick feels it’s a terrible idea — what do you think? Send us a voice note or message us on WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.
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Across Europe, political instability, fragmentation and polarization are increasingly becoming the norm. But how are governments tackling these tensions?

On this episode of the Brussels Playbook Week Ender, host Sarah Wheaton and her guests hone in on three countries: France, Greece and Denmark. Dialing in from Paris and Athens are our colleagues Clea Caulcutt and Nektaria Stamouli, and Jakob Moroza-Rasmussen, former secretary general of the centrist ALDE European political party, joins Sarah in the studio where he talks about his native Denmark.

From the EU farm funds scandal in Greece, to the upcoming 2027 presidential election in France and Denmark’s new coalition government, they unpack the biggest news stories from each capital. While every country faces different challenges, they also reveal larger trends shaping the EU.

If you have comments, do send us a voice note or message us on WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.
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The U.S. embassy’s mega 250th birthday bash in Brussels is one of the most sought-after events for the city’s top brass ... but it’s also drawing ire.

Today on the show, Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart discuss why MEPs and environmental activists are growing increasingly frustrated with this American July 4th celebration. The event is set to be attended by 5,000 people and will shut down the public Cinquantenaire park for up to 36 hours.

Also on the show, we got our hands on the spending figures of lobby groups in the EU capital. Which country doles out the most cash to influence policymaking? We break it down.

And finally: The FIFA World Cup officially kicks off today, so we ranked the tournament’s countries by metrics other than footie.

If you have comments, do send us a voice note or message us on WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.
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South Korea’s president is in Brussels for the first EU-South Korea summit in three years — a visit that starts with K-pop diplomacy but quickly moves to chips, trade, defense and China.

Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart look at why Seoul has become such an important partner for Europe and why South Korea’s role in Europe’s rearmament push is also politically awkward.

The due also discuss Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tightening her grip on another strategic file: defense. We unpack how the EU’s new Security Strategy is being shaped inside the Berlaymont, why the diplomatic service is being pushed to the margins and why capitals are watching closely.

And finally: With the World Cup about to kick off, Brussels has its own football drama. The European Parliament’s annual football cup has produced coalition teams, fair-play penalties and now a handshake row between the Greens and the ECR.

If you have comments, do send us a voice note or a message us on WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.
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The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, heads to Dublin today with awkward questions for Ireland.

The country is facing increased scrutiny over the fact that a Russian-owned refinery on Irish soil continues exporting alumina to Russia — a raw material that can feed Moscow’s industrial and military supply chains. The timing is especially awkward since Dublin is preparing to take over the EU’s rotating Council presidency.

Also on the show, smart glasses are moving from sci-fi gadget to Brussels privacy headache. Are Europe’s rules ready for cameras people can wear on their faces?

And finally: A festival to celebrate the Commission’s New European Bauhaus initiative kicks off today. We explain what inflatable heads have to do with it.

Do you have smart glasses that you use for non-nefarious purposes? We’d love to hear more about aboveboard use cases. Message us on WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.
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