Europe, Day by Day

Welcome to Europe Day by Day, a 5-minute podcast series that takes you through the daily trends and events shaping Europe's politics, society and culture at 6 PM, Monday to Friday. A series hosted by Emma Belmonte. In coproduction with Sphera Network, the network for humane and socially engaged European Journalism.

Europe Day by Day dives into the trends and events of Europe's politics, societies and culture, in just 5 minutes. Join the ride by subscribing to...

1 October 2024
min

Episode 88 : The trends shaping politics in the EU-bubble – End of Season 1 -Part 2

In this second part of a special two episode closure to the first season of Europe, Day by Day, executive producer Alexander Damiano Ricci hosts Emma...

1 October 2024
min

Episode 87 : The trends shaping politics in Europe – End of Season 1 -Part 1

In this first part of a special two episode closure to the first season of Europe, Day by Day, executive producer Alexander Damiano Ricci hosts Emma...

1 October 2024
min

Episode 86 : Weekend Special – What’s happening to our right to protest?

Italy saw some major mobilisations this week, all pushing back against government policies. One was a campaign to collect signatures calling for a referendum to cut...

1 October 2024
min

Episode 85 : Can Europe close its racial wealth gap?

Centuries of European slavery and colonialism are still fueling poverty, wage disparities, and unequal access to public services for racialised communities across the continent. These are the...

1 October 2024
min

Episode 84 : Is increasing minimum wages the solution for the living cost crisis in Europe?

This week, the Estonian Trade Union Confederation and the Estonian Employers’ Confederation sat down for the first time to discuss next year’s minimum wage.

Meanwhile, starting on...

1 October 2024
min

Episode 83 : Half a million Italians support petition for easier path to citizenship

Italians have been rallying behind a petition to push for a referendum that would cut in half the time foreign nationals need to live in Italy...

1 October 2024
min

Episode 82 : After a major cyberattack, is Montenegro’s digital system truly safe?

Finally! Montenegro’s government can once again communicate with its citizens online.

Back in August 2022, the country’s open data portal had suffered a major cyberattack that...

1 October 2024
3 min

Episode 81 : What’s polluting Ireland’s air?

Ireland’s air quality might be in serious trouble, falling short of the World Health Organisations’ strict pollution targets set for 2026.

That’s according to a recent...

22 September 2024
min

Episode 80 : Weekend Special – The summer is over. What now for tourism?

“I wish you were here” — a sentiment that didn’t ring true for many locals in Europe this summer. Instead, what echoed through the streets, in...

20 September 2024
min

Episode 79 : Martinique is fed up with Paris’ broken promises

Burned vehicles, gutted buildings including a destroyed McDonalds… This is what the streets looked like this week in Martinique, a French overseas department of the Caribbean,...

19 September 2024
min

Episode 78 : Why does Europe have a problem with Chinese EVs

A vote of the EU’s Trade Defense Instruments Committee scheduled next week was expected to once and for all impose significant tariffs on Chinese imports of...

18 September 2024
min

Episode 77 : Czech far-right turns to AI for racist election campaign

Amid campaigning for the upcoming regional elections in the Czech Republic, a billboard in Prague sparked outrage and triggered lawsuits.

The poster and its anti-immigration slogan,...

17 September 2024
min

Episode 76 : EU looks to clear the air with an outdoor smoking ban

New leaks reveal that the European Commission is preparing a ban on smoking in some outdoor public spaces, including cafe terraces and bus stops.

A ban...

17 September 2024
min

Episode 69 : Biggest ever Belgrade pride calls for equal rights

On Saturday, Belgrade witnessed its largest-ever pride march as thousands filled the streets waving rainbow flags, asking for change.

A pride flag was even hung from...

16 September 2024
min

Episode 75 : Is the EU facing a demographic time bomb?

A stark warning came this weekend from a leading economics think tank at the informal meeting of EU economic and financial affairs ministers in Budapest.

The...

15 September 2024
min

Episode 74 : Weekend Special – The EU is coming for Big Tech

The European Court of Justice recently delivered two major rulings against Apple and Google. Apple was fined for corporate tax avoidance, while Google faced penalties for...

13 September 2024
min

Episode 73 : Europe’s white collar justice problem

The Swedish appeal court made the news this week by sentencing a Former Swedbank chief executive to 15 months in prison on charges of fraud and...

12 September 2024
min

Episode 72 : Can Estonia help solve the UK’s prison crisis?

The newly elected Labour government is facing a crisis in the prisons system, and forced to release thousands of prisoners early from rapidly overflowing jails. Could...

11 September 2024
min

Episode 71 : What Irish schools reveal about Europe’s education crisis

September marks the return to school for most kids, but not for 126 children with special needs in Ireland who remain without a school place this...

10 September 2024
min

Episode 70 : Europe has a tax problem

Taxes on everyday Europeans bring in 13 times more revenue than taxes on wealth. That’s according to a new Oxfam analysis published this week, which reveals...

9 September 2024
min

Episode 69 : Biggest ever Belgrade pride calls for equal rights

On Saturday, Belgrade witnessed its largest-ever pride march as thousands filled the streets waving rainbow flags, asking for change.

A pride flag was even hung from...

8 September 2024
min

Episode 68 : Weekend Special – Europe’s summer of climate action

Another summer is over—another season marked by extreme weather events that remind us of the harsh reality of climate change. However, there were also signs of progress...

6 September 2024
min

Episode 67 : Azerbaijan, the problematic host of COP29

With mass arrests of dissenting voices. An army accused of ethnic cleansing. And a President who calls his country’s gas reserves a ‘gift from God’, what on...

5 September 2024
min

Episode 66 : What can solve Europe’s brain drain problem?

After a rapid push through the EU accession process over the last two years, Moldova is now facing quite a conundrum. According to Balkan Insight, the country’s...

4 September 2024
min

Episode 65 : Is climate change the only culprit behind Europe’s wildfires?

The sky over Athens turned orange last month, an apocalyptic sight for the residents of the Greek capital who saw wildfire flames at the city’s doorstep...

3 September 2024
min

Episode 64 : Why are some European countries banning phones in schools?

As students re-enter their classrooms after the summer break, many will be doing so without their mobile phones in hand. Across Europe, an increasing number of...

2 September 2024
min

Episode 63 : Germany’s far-right past… and future?

Olive oil fraud cases in the EU have hit an official record high this year.

So, what’s happening to our beloved kitchen staple?

And why is...

30 August 2024
5 min

Episode 62 : Italy’s message in a bottle

A recent study revealed that only 29% of Italians drink tap water every day – and that nearly half drink exclusively bottled water. In fact, Italy...

29 August 2024
min

Episode 61 : Looking back at Scholtz’ difficult path

He had big shoes to fill – that’s what everyone thought and said when German chancellor Olaf Scholtz succeeded Angela Merkel back in December 2021. But...

28 August 2024
5 min

Episode 60 : Following up on the alleged “China-Serbia love affair”

In May this year, Chinese President Xi Jin Ping’s visited Belgrade. Xi Jin Ping was warmly welcomed by the Serbian president Aleksander Vucic. The latter illustrated...

27 August 2024
5 min

Episode 59 : Following up on Borrell’s declaration on the EU’s involvement in the Gaza war

With war raging in Gaza, in November 2023, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Joseph Borrell called for a...

26 August 2024
3 min

Episode 58 : Following up on Romania’s, Bulgaria’s attempt to join Shengen

On the 1st of April of this year, Romania and Bulgaria partially joined the free travel zone of Schengen. But why “partially”? And what will be...

23 August 2024
5 min

Episode 57 : Following up on the EU’s support actions in favour of Ukraine

After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on the 24th of February 2022, many Europeans took the streets of their cities in support of Kiev. Two years and...

22 August 2024
5 min

Episode 56 : Looking back at the Asylum and migration pact

Eversince the 2015 so-called “refugee crisis”, asylum and migration have become existential questions for the EU. On the 10th of April of this year, the Parliament...

21 August 2024
5 min

Episode 55 : Following up on the the controversial laws of the Slovak government

Back in January of this year, the European Parliament expressed concerns about the rule of law in Slovakia. But why was that?

Europe, Day by Day...

20 August 2024
5 min

Episode 54 : Looking back at the “Foreign influence bill” related protests in Georgia

In May, Tbilisi was shaken by protests against the adoption of a contested ‘Foreign influence bill’. Today, we share insights from whom took part in those...

19 August 2024
4 min

Episode 53 : Following up on EU’s plan to enlarge the Union

After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on the 24th of February 2022, many Europeans took the streets of their cities in support of Kiev. Two years and...

16 August 2024
min

Episode 52 : The 50th year anniversary of Portugal’s revolution

Fifty years ago, the Carnation Revolution ended the Salazar dictatorship in Portugal. Until recently, the country seemed immune to the return of right wing extremism unlike...

15 August 2024
5 min

Episode 51 : Behind the scenes of the Olympic Games in Paris

Last week marked the end of the Olympics in Paris, but what do we know about the organisation of the games by the French capital?

Europe,...

14 August 2024
5 min

Episode 50 : Following up on Labour’s landslide victory

On the 18th of July, newly elected Labour Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, had to play host at the European Political Community summit in Blenheim Palace- where...

13 August 2024
min

Episode 49 : Looking back at the case of Snæfellsjökull, in Iceland

In May, Tbilisi was shaken by protests against the adoption of a contested ‘Foreign influence bill’. Today, we share insights from whom took part in those...

12 August 2024
min

Episode 48 : Following up on the EU’s action on Free Trade

Favouring trade with the rest of the world has ever since been a priority for the EU. But which free trade agreements have been on the...

9 August 2024
3 min

Episode 47 : The 100th anniversary of author Franz Kafka’s death

This year marked the 100th anniversary of the death of Franz Kafka. Events across Europe celebrated the writer of The Metamorphosis, The Trial, and The Castle...

8 August 2024
5 min

Episode 46 : Looking back at the EU AI act

Back in May, the EU Council finally approved the EU AI act. So, what is this pioneering act all about? And what does the European Digital...

7 August 2024
3 min

Episode 45 : This year, in the Baltics

Often overlooked by mainstream media elsewhere in Europe, Baltic countries have undergone significant change over the past months. So, what happened in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia...

6 August 2024
min

Episode 44 : Following up on Xi-Jin Ping’s visit to Europe in Spring

In the Spring of this year, Chinese President Xi Jinping made a visit to three European countries: France, Serbia, and Hungary. The itinerary was largely qualified...

5 August 2024
5 min

Episode 43 : This year, in Scandinavia

Often overlooked by mainstream media elsewhere in Europe, Scandinavian countries have undergone significant change over the past months. So, what happened in Scandinavia this year?

Europe,...

3 August 2024
5 min

Episode 42 : Weekend Special – Alarm Bells for Rule of Law in Europe

Alarm bells are ringing across Europe – with concerns running high regarding the status of the rule of law in several member states.

Governments gaining uncontrollable...

2 August 2024
5 min

Episode 41 : Looking back at the European footbal championship

We look back at this Summer’s European football championship which took place in Germany. While the whole of Europe was watching the ball rolling, politics sometimes...

1 August 2024
min

Episode 40 : Looking back at the European Green Deal’s trajectory

The European Green Deal was adopted back in 2020 by the European Parliament. But this year, this milestone piece of European legislation went through quite a...

30 July 2024
min

Episode 38 : You’re out of order! Spain’s judicial mishaps

Today is a busy day for Spain’s judicial system.

Whilst the 20 members of the General Council of the Judiciary in charge of appointing Spain’s judges...

29 July 2024
min

Episode 37 : Report urges EU to get rail travel back on track

Brussels to Vienna, Paris to Barcelona, Berlin to Warsaw – whatever the journey, flying is often the simpler option – especially compared to taking the train.

...
29 July 2024
min

Episode 36 : Weekend Special – There is still hope in resistance

The dehumanisation of migrants, instrumentalisation of reproductive rights and women’s rights, rising homophobia, transphobia and hate speech…

These are some of the ramifications of the far-right’s...

26 July 2024
5 min

Episode 35 : The other side of the Olympic medal

Today marks the opening ceremony of the long-awaited Olympic games in Paris. But yesterday evening the official celebration was preceded by a contre-soirée event in the Place...

25 July 2024
min

Episode 34 : Is lithium Europe’s new (not so) green oil?

The electric car – the expensive must-have of the new green citizen. But is it really?

To function, an electric vehicle’s battery requires lithium a rare...

24 July 2024
min

Episode 33 : Double Standards for Environmental Protests in Europe

Raids, interrogations, arrests and record prison sentences. These are the increasingly heavy handed tactics used against environmental campaigners across Europe.

But meanwhile, traffic disruption, border blockades...

24 July 2024
min

Episode 32 : Armenia’s complicated route to the EU

Armenia made headlines this week as Brussels announced talks on visa liberalisation, marking a significant but cautious step towards EU membership. The Armenian foreign minister hailed the...

24 July 2024
min

Episode 31 : Why is Montenegro’s cultural heritage under threat?

Sveti Stefan, a stunning islet off the western coast of Montenegro, also known as the “pearl” of Montenegro, is one of the country’s most beautiful cultural...

24 July 2024
min

Episode 30 : Weekend Special – French political gridlock, migrant labor exploitation, Greece’s neoliberal agenda

Can the French left alliance get themselves together and finally form a government, can migrants in the EU ever catch a break, and why is the...

24 July 2024
min

Episode 29 : What Ursula von der Leyen’s re-election means for Europe’s future

As the EU top jobs begin to get filled, what kind of Europe will emerge? Depending on who you ask, the re-election of Ursula von der Leyen...

24 July 2024
min

Episode 28 : A glimpse into the respect of children’s rights in Europe

Published yesterday, the KidsRights Foundation published its annual ranking which measures how far children’s rights are safeguarded across the world.

Out of the ten highest-scoring countries,...

24 July 2024
min

Episode 27 : What’s behind EU’s decision to freeze Georgia’s accession?

Euphoria swept through Georgia last December when the country was officially recognised as an EU member candidate – something Georgians overwhelmingly longed for.

But this enthusiasm...

24 July 2024
min

Episode 33 : Double Standards for Environmental Protests in Europe

Raids, interrogations, arrests and record prison sentences. These are the increasingly heavy handed tactics used against environmental campaigners across Europe.

But meanwhile, traffic disruption, border blockades...

16 July 2024
min

Episode 26 : Italy eyes nuclear comeback after 35 years

35 years after Italy shut down its last nuclear power plant, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni plans to bring back nuclear reactors to...

16 July 2024
min

Episode 25 : What Trump’s assassination attempt means for Europe

I’m supposed to be dead”. These were the words of former US president Donald Trump after an assassination attempt at a rally...

16 July 2024
min

Episode 24 : Weekend Special – Labour’s Landslide in UK, Orbán’s Controversial EU Council Presidency, Frontex Under Fire

What political weeks these have been: snap general elections in France, another snap general election in the UK, the top job at the EU institutions up...

16 July 2024
min

Episode 23 : Stranded in Cyprus

More than thirty asylum seekers have been stranded in the buffer zone that divides Cyprus. They can’t go back, and the government won’t let them in....

16 July 2024
min

Episode 22 : A day to remember Srebrenica

‘Remember Srebrenica’. You can find these two words tagged on walls in different cities across Bosnia Herzegovina, accompanied by a number: 8 732 ; the number...

10 July 2024
min

Episode 21 : Croatian women fight to protect their right to abortion

Legally speaking, Croatian women have the right to get an abortion. But why do so many cross the border to Slovenia to find the medical care...

9 July 2024
5 min

Episode 20 : Barcelona Locals Have Had Enough of Tourists

As visitors enjoyed their meals in Las Ramblas, one of the most touristy areas in Barcelona, they were sprayed with water pistols by locals who were...

8 July 2024
min

Episode 19 : How the French left beat the far-right

As pundits and polls predicted the far-right National Rally would become the first party in the French Assembly, the second round of the legislative elections yielded...

8 July 2024
min

Episode 18 : Greece defies European trend, adopts six-day work week

The Greek government has just announced that starting next week, some private sector industries will move to a 48-hour work-week, – meaning a 6-day work-week! This...

4 July 2024
min

Episode 17 : The Dutch far-right takes its first steps into office

This week, the King of the Netherlands Willem-Alexander swore in Dick Schoof as PM along with his newly formed cabinet while civilians protested outside the palace...

3 July 2024
min

Episode 16 : What will a Labour win mean for the UK?

Even the ruling Conservative Party have started conceding defeat a day before the UK general election in which the Labour Party are widely predicted to win.

...
2 July 2024
min

Episode 15 : Make Europe Great Again”: Hungary takes over the EU Presidency

Make Europe Great Again.

That’s the slogan of the Hungarian government for their presidency of the Council of the European Union, which they take over this...

1 July 2024
min

Episode 14 : As France votes, New Caledonia’s struggles expose colonial tensions

Since May, pro-independence protests have rocked France’s overseas territory of New Caledonia. With a storied history of resistance and activism, the indigenous Kanak people are fighting...

28 June 2024
min

Episode 13 : EU Border Agency accused of overlooking migrant pushbacks in new report

Who watches the watchmen? This question about the abuse of power, dating back to Roman times, is relevant today after fresh allegations of rights violations by...

27 June 2024
min

Episode 12 : Militarisation at the heart of a political year in Lithuania

With presidential, referendum, and European and parliamentary elections, 2024 is a busy political year for Lithuanians. Yet, the debate mainly focuses on Russia rather than domestic...

26 June 2024
min

Episode 11 : What Malta’s economic struggles reveal about Europe’s financial blueprint

Malta’s GDP is booming, surpassing the EU average, yet Maltese households find their purchasing power lower than pre-pandemic levels. Why is this happening, and what does...

25 June 2024
3 min

Episode 10 : The fight to restore nature on both sides of the Channel

Central London erupted over the weekend as tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets to call for climate and nature action to be prioritised...

24 June 2024
min

Episode 9 : French feminists rally against Le Pen’s facade feminism

Thousands of French feminists took to the streets last weekend to protest the “feminist facade” of Le Pen’s National Rally. In recent years, Le Pen and...

24 June 2024
min

Episode 8 : OLAF: 1 billion Euros of EU taxpayer money wanted

Give the EU back one billion euros. That’s the demand from the European Anti-Fraud Agency. The amount is misused taxpayer money the agency, also known as OLAF, says...

20 June 2024
5 min

Episode 7 : How did we come to the point of Hezbollah threatening Cyprus

As Europe confronts war in Ukraine, its Mediterranean border is looking increasingly fragile as Lebanese militant group Hezbollah threatens Cyprus over its role in the wider...

19 June 2024
5 min

Episode 6 :What the heck is wrong with Helsinki’s municipal housing?

In Finland, a shocking number of municipal housing units are vacant — some for over a year. All the while, approximately 10’ooo applicants wait to hear...

18 June 2024
min

Episode 5 : Number of reported anti-Roma incidents in Germany doubled over a year

A new report released by the the German Reporting and Information Centre on Anti-Roma sentiment, or MIA, shows that discrimination against Roma people is on the...

17 June 2024
5 min

Episode 4 : Why Ireland’s President Higgins is calling for citizens to protect libraries

Over the past year, Irish libraries have been faced with far-right protests at their doorsteps. One of the reasons they are being targeted is for holding...

14 June 2024
5 min

Episode 3: From the 2006 World Cup to Euro 2024: How Germany (and Europe) have changed

The 2006 World Cup in Germany is fondly remembered as the “Sommermärchen,” or summer fairy-tale: marked by a growing economy in a peaceful continent, with Angela...

13 June 2024
5 min

Episode 2 : Why the Klimaseniorinnen case matters for the whole of Europe

The Klimaseniorinnen, a climate activism movement made up of women over the age of 65, took Switzerland to court over the government’s violation of the right...

12 June 2024
5 min

Episode 1 : Report casts shadow over recent Hungarian local elections

While 27 countries across the continent were voting in the European elections, 9 of them were also voting in local elections. Today, we’re taking a look...

17 March 2024
min

Episode 64 : Why are some European countries banning phones in schools?

As students re-enter their classrooms after the summer break, many will be doing so without their mobile phones in hand. Across Europe, an increasing number of...

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