Brussels Playbook Podcast

Iceland has voted no to restarting membership talks with the EU in a referendum held over the weekend.

While the yes camp had hoped rising global geopolitical tensions might sway voters, the fear of losing control over Icelandic fishing quotas proved decisive. So what does this result mean for the EU’s enlargement ambitions? Nick and Zoya discuss.

Next, defense and foreign ministers prepare to meet in Ireland this week to talk Russia sanctions, support for Ukraine ... and overhauling the EU’s diplomatic arm.

And finally, move aside Italy, Greek coffee is making it big in Brussels.

Do you have any favorite coffee shops in Brussels that we failed to mention on the show? Get in touch on WhatsApp here, or at +32 491 05 06 29.

This episode was produced by Saga Ringmar.
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For 16 years, Viktor Orbán exerted an iron grip on Hungarian politics and society. Now it’s being dismantled. Has Hungary finally turned a page on the Orbán era, or could he make one final return?

It’s only a few days before Péter Magyar’s government, which succeeded Orbán, learns whether his anti-corruption reforms have done enough to persuade the European Commission to release €10.4 billion of frozen funds to help the country recover after the Covid pandemic. The money was withheld over breaches of EU law under Orbán, who suffered a landslide defeat at the polls in April.

Host Anne McElvoy talks to János Bóka, who now leads Orbán’s Fidesz party from the opposition benches in the Hungarian Parliament. He was minister for European affairs in the previous government and is seen as a relatively moderate voice tasked with rebuilding a party reeling from defeat. Does he want to cast off an ousted strongman’s shadow – might Orban still be seeking to find a way back?
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Canada is taking a much harder line against Donald Trump — and Brussels is watching closely. As the U.S.-Canada trade war escalates, Zoya Sheftalovich and Kathryn Carlson look at Mark Carney’s gamble, his call for the world’s “middle powers” to band together, and whether Europe is ready to follow his lead or would rather keep Washington onside.

Then, France’s 2027 presidential race gets its first major televised debate. The political center goes into it weaker and more divided than ever, while Jean-Luc Mélenchon has managed to put his radical plan for dealing with France’s €3.5 trillion debt right at the heart of the campaign.

And finally, could Brussels make the beautiful booze bottle an endangered species? Europe’s glassmakers fear new anti-waste rules could squeeze out some of the elaborate designs that help make spirits, wine and perfume instantly recognizable — although the reality is rather more nuanced.

What’s a bottle or piece of packaging you love for its design — from spirits to perfume — and would hate to see disappear? Get in touch on WhatsApp here, or at +32 491 05 06 29.

Furher readings:

The trade war came too soon for Mark Carney’s middle powers alliance, by Camille Gijs, Graham Lanktree, Kathryn Carlson and Stefanie Bolzen
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France and Germany are clashing over how far the EU should go to protect European industry — with Paris pushing stronger “Made in Europe” rules and Berlin warning against provoking new trade fights.

Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart look at what that battle says about Europe’s struggle to go green, stay competitive and keep its markets open at the same time.

Then, Brussels is rattled by another wave of shootings. We look at the drug trade behind much of the violence, the Antwerp connection, and the political fight over whether the capital has enough police resources — or whether Belgium’s fragmented system is part of the problem.

And on a much lighter note: Eurostar may finally get some serious competition. New operators are lining up to run through the Channel Tunnel, raising the prospect of more trains — and maybe cheaper tickets — between Brussels and London.

Have you witnessed any of the recent shootings in Brussels? Or has the rise in gun violence changed how you feel about the city? We’d like to hear from you.

Send us a message or a voice note on WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.

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António Costa is kicking off a tour of EU capitals to find out what leaders want from the bloc’s next seven-year budget — and what they might accept in return for a deal. His first stop is Bratislava, with Slovakia among the countries pushing to protect cohesion and agricultural funding. Later this week, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will gather like-minded northern countries in Berlin to argue for a much leaner budget and major cuts to the Commission’s nearly €2 trillion proposal. Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart look at the competing campaigns as negotiations head into a crucial period.

Next, an argument inside Europe’s socialist family over Denmark’s Mette Frederiksen and her cooperation with Giorgia Meloni on migration has raised questions about whether the tensions could spill into the Socialists & Democrats group in the European Parliament.

Plus: Greece is trying to turn the buzz around Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey into tourist money. With parts of the film shot in the Peloponnese, regional authorities are building an “Odyssey Route” — hoping the movie can leave the kind of lasting tourism legacy Mamma Mia! did on Skopelos.

Have you ever been convinced to visit a place after seeing it in a movie? Get in touch! You can message us or send a voice message to our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.
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