European Liberal Forum

Episode

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  Completing the EU project with Strahinja Subotić 06.08.2026 27mnt

  How can the European Union project continue to be built in a secure and democratic way? In this episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social), welcomes Strahinja Subotić, Programme Manager and Senior Researcher at the European Policy Centre and think tank in Belgrade (EPC-Belgrade), to talk about some of the work done by EPC-Belgrade and himself on the topic of staged accession to the EU, conditionality mechanisms and veto limits proposals. This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.
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  The Power of Narrative with Leonie Haiden 30.07.2026 24mnt

  What structural strategies must the political center implement to effectively reclaim the future for liberal democracy? How can governance bodies connect abstract concepts to the everyday lived experiences of citizens? What distinct emotional promises allow the populist right wing to capture public dissatisfaction so effectively across Europe? And how does the algorithmic, endless design of modern news feeds erode public trust and dismantle our capacity for reasoned political debate? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Leonie Haiden, who after three years of serving on the Policy Planning Staff of the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently exploring the challenges of political communication in the 21st century as part of the Europe’s Futures fellowship programme run by the Institute for Human Sciences (IWM) in Vienna. She is also working as an expert in strategic communication for the ERSTE Foundation. Tune in for their talk! This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with the Movimento Liberal Social and the Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.
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  The art of execution with Radu Mihail 23.07.2026 31mnt

  What is one of the key elements relatively underexplored in European competitiveness? The quality of management. In this episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social), welcomes Radu Mihail, independent consultant and former Senator in Romania, who co-authored, with former MEP Vlad Botos and Vice-President of the NGO The Liberal Community Maria Ionescu, the ELF policy paper 41 "The Art of Execution – Management as a Hidden Driver of Europe’s Competitiveness". This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.
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  Presidential Election in France with Blanche Leridon 16.07.2026 29mnt

  What should we know ahead of the 2027 presidential election in France? What topics will likely dominate the political debate ahead of the election?  What has recently changed in terms of Marine Le Pen's candidacy for the president? Where does the enormous support base for the Rassemblement National come from?  And what is the legacy of President Emmanuel Macron?   Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Blanche Leridon, Director of French Studies at Institut Montaigne, specializing in democratic and institutional issues. Tune in for their talk! Watch the video of the conversation: https://youtu.be/jos6wU_WJzg?si=cBKtjCko3CTLrGZd This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with the Movimento Liberal Social and the Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.
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  Brussels, Moscow, and the Villages: 2026 Armenian elections with Tatev Matinyan 09.07.2026 29mnt

  What message did Armenian voters actually send in the 2026 elections? And can Armenia's European path survive the disinformation, external pressure, and polarisation reshaping its politics? Tatevik Matinyan, human rights advocate and chairperson of Armenia's Institute of Liberal Politics, joins Ricardo Silvestre to unpack the results, the propaganda playbook that echoes what we've seen in Hungary and Georgia, and what Armenian civil society really needs from Brussels — beyond diplomatic visits and government support. A candid conversation about the fragile situation in the region, the stakes of getting EU–Armenia relations right, and why cynicism spreads faster than reforms. This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.
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  Tech for Humanity with Gerd Leonhard 02.07.2026 26mnt

  How can we make technology work for us and not the other way around? What is the difference between "algorithms" and "androrithms"? Does outsourcing thinking to AI erode people's capacity to think and leads to the rise of "super-stupidity"? And what will human agency look like in the future? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Gerd Leonhard, a top-rated futurist and a leading global keynote speaker, the author of 5 books including the bestseller "Technology vs. Humanity" and a filmmaker. He is a fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts in London, and the CEO of The Futures Agency in Zurich, Switzerland. Tune in the for their talk! Watch the video of the conversation: https://youtu.be/wjDpqHZpXFM Gerd Leonhard will be a guest during this year's edition of the Freedom Games, a festival of ideas co-organized by the European Liberal Forum on October 23-25, 2026, in Lodz, Poland. Find out more: igrzyskawolnosci.pl/event/igrzyska-wolnosci-2026 This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with the Movimento Liberal Social and the Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.
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  The Human Algorithm - Why proximity still matters in European finance with Annarita Morelli 25.06.2026 23mnt

  What does the future of European banking actually look like, in a world of perpetual crisis, heavy regulation, and consolidating institutions? Annarita Morelli, a strategy and governance executive who has worked on the front lines of Italy's financial system, joins Ricardo Silvestre on the Liberal Europe Podcast, to make the case for proximity banking, smarter resilience, and a financial sector that supports the real economy. From the reactive trap that keeps banks running on a treadmill, to the funding gap holding back small businesses, to what she calls the human algorithm of territorial banking, this is a conversation about how Europe can grow without losing the local trust that makes finance work. This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.
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  Visegrad Is Back? with Linda Kapustová Helbichová 18.06.2026 26mnt

  Is the Visegrad Group still relevant? Is it expereiencing its renaissance after Péter Magyar's win in Hungary? What is the relationship between the Visegrad countries and Ukraine? What types of projects does the International Visegrad Fund foster and what is their relevance in terms of cultural cooperation? And can civil society funding be considered as part of democratic infrastructure? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Linda Kapustová Helbichová, the Executive Director of the International Visegrad Fund. She has extensive experience in diplomacy and public administration, having served at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic. Tune in the for their talk! Watch the conversation on YouTube: https://youtu.be/IPyP0qrnT-M This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with the Movimento Liberal Social and the Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.
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  Beyond the White Saviour: what real partnership looks like with Rui Santos 11.06.2026 26mnt

  What does real partnership between Europe and Africa actually look like in 2026? In this episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Ricardo Silvestre is joined by Rui Santos, CEO of CESO Development Consultants, a Portuguese firm celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and one of the most experienced implementers of European Commission projects across Africa, Latin America, and Asia. The conversation unpacks how EU cooperation has shifted away from the old donor-beneficiary model towards genuine, shoulder-to-shoulder collaboration. They discuss the EU's strategic partnership programmes with countries like Angola, the Global Gateway initiative, and PROCULTURA PALOP-TL/UE, a cultural ecosystem-building project across Portuguese-speaking African countries and East Timor. Along the way, Rui reflects on what 35 years in international development have taught him about reputation, patience, and the long-distance run that meaningful cross-border work demands. This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.
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  Surviving Chaos: Geopolitics When the Rules Fail with Mark Leonard 04.06.2026 21mnt

  Does the idea of an open society still have a place in today's world? Which four exponential forces currently run the world? And how to reconcile Europe's values and vision with those of other key geopolitical players? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Mark Leonard, Co-Founder and Director of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), the first pan-European think–tank. Tune in the for their talk! This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with the Movimento Liberal Social and the Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.
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  White Terror: A True Story of Murders, Bombings, and Germany's Far Right with Jacob Kushner 28.05.2026 29mnt

  How dangerous is the far right in Germany? What should we know about the rise of neonazi terrorism? And what is the role of the secret services in Germany? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Jacob Kushner, an international journalist who reports on migration, terrorism and violent extremism, science and global health in Africa, Germany, and the Caribbean. He is the author of "China’s Congo Plan" and "White Terror: A True Story of Murder, Bombings and Germany’s Far Right". He teaches journalism at Columbia University in New York. Tune in the for their talk! Jacob Kushner will be a guest during this year's edition of the Freedom Games, a festival of ideas co-organized by the European Liberal Forum on October 23-25, 2026, in Lodz, Poland. Find out more: https://igrzyskawolnosci.pl/event/igrzyska-wolnosci-2026 This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with the Movimento Liberal Social and the Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.
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  EU economic integration with Marco Cecchi de'Rossi 21.05.2026 23mnt

  Europe has the resources, the talent, and the scale to rival the US and China — so why doesn't it act like it? In this episode, recorded live in Milan with the Adam Smith Society, Ricardo Silvestre sits down with Marco Cecchi de'Rossi, an investment committee member at Arpinge SpA and board member at SIDAM for a wide-ranging conversation on what's really holding Europe back. They dissect the non-tariff barriers still fragmenting the single market, the case for AI in classrooms and workplaces (and where regulation should draw the line), patent enforcement against unreliable markets, and what the corporate board of the future needs to look like in an age of multi-crisis and rapid change. This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.
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  Is Europe Headed Towards a New China shock? with Sam Goodman 14.05.2026 30mnt

  Is Europe walking into a new China shock? Sam Goodman — Senior Policy Director at the China Strategic Risks Institute joins Ricardo Silvestre to dissect the EU–China relationship at a moment of real turbulence. From Middle East fallout and the Strait of Hormuz, to trillion-dollar trade imbalances, Merz's first Beijing visit, Macron's tariff push, and the Commission's economic security agenda, this conversation maps the chessboard that will define Europe's next decade. This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.
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  Who Is Rumen Radev? with Maria Simeonova 07.05.2026 33mnt

  How has the recent election transformed the Bulgarian political scene? What will be the European priorities of the newly formed government? What is Rumen Radev's main message? And what was his secret that helped him ensure a win? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Maria Simeonova, the Head of the Sofia office at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). Her areas of focus include EU foreign policy, the Black Sea region, Bulgaria’s role in the EU, and the Western Balkans. Prior to assuming this role, she served as coordinator for the Sofia office and the Western Balkans at ECFR. Before joining ECFR in September 2020, Simeonova worked as a civil servant at the Bulgarian Ministry of Finance. Tune in the for their talk! Watch the video recording of the conversation: https://youtu.be/X03womYklgo This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with the Movimento Liberal Social and the Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.
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  Political digital communication with Ahmed Kosovac 30.04.2026 22mnt

  What does it take to communicate politics in a world shaped by algorithms, memes, and constant online dialogue? In this episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Ricardo Silvestre sits down with Ahmed Kosovac,Marketing Communications Team Lead at Naša stranka and Council Member at Općina Novo Sarajevo, to unpack how digital platforms and AI are transforming the way politics is practiced and understood. This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.
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  Is Digital Sovereignty (Still) Possible? with José Ignacio Torreblanca 23.04.2026 29mnt

  Can Europe attain digital sovereignty? What are the limits of the EU's regulatory power? Is the dichotomy between sovereignty and a colony unavoidable? And what is Europe's digital grand strategy? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Dr José Ignacio Torreblanca, a Senior Adviser and Distinguished Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Tune in the for their talk! Watch the video recording of the conversation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IJWM2LHVSo This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with the Movimento Liberal Social and the Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of. Read the article: https://ecfr.eu/article/referees-dont-win-games-europe-and-the-digital-great-game/
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  What's Next, Hungary? - with Andrea Virag 16.04.2026 27mnt

  What do Hungary’s latest election results tell us about the future of liberal politics in the country? Looking beyond the results, Andrea Virag, Director of Strategy at the Republican Institute in Budapest, joins this week's host, Ricardo Silvestre, to examine the broader picture, from the role of civil society to the future of liberal forces in the political arena, and what it will realistically take to rebuild momentum in an increasingly difficult environment. This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.
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  The End of the Orbán-Era? with Edit Zgut-Przybylska 10.04.2026 31mnt

  What is the expected outcome of the upcoming parliamentary election in Hungary? What are opposition leader Péter Magyar's chances of winning? Will this be the end of the Orbán-era? Will there be any attempts at rigging the election? And if the Tisza party wins, what direction will it adopt toward the European Union and Ukraine? And how will the election influence the future of Europe? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Dr Edit Zgut-Przybylska, an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at the Polish Academy of Sciences and a Research Affiliate at the CEU Democracy Institute. Tune in the for their talk! Watch the video recording of the conversation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jBGq4zWohk This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with the Movimento Liberal Social and the Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.
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  Reversed Enlargement and Pooled Veto is the Key to Europe's Future? - Interview with Emil Kirjas 02.04.2026 27mnt

  What’s really holding back EU enlargement ? Could new ideas like a “pooled veto” reshape how decisions are made in Europe? And what happens when EU integration starts to reverse? In this episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social) welcomes back Emil Kirjas, Vice President at Liberal International and founder of Kirjas Global Ltd. Together, they discuss the latest developments surrounding EU enlargement, unpack the growing sense of enlargement fatigue, and explore innovative and controversial concepts like pooled veto and reversed integration. This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.
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  Europe in the Age of Global Uncertainty with Jacob Funk Kirkegaard 26.03.2026 32mnt

  How does the war in Iran affect Europeans? What is the impact of the Greenland issue on the Danish view of NATO and the transatlantic alliance? Should the Nordic countries acquire nuclear weapons? And what does Europe's path to competitiveness look like? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, a Senior Fellow at Bruegel in Brussels and at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington, D.C. His research focuses on European economies, foreign direct investment, geopolitical trends, demographics, migration, and other long-term drivers of productivity and economic growth. Tune in for their talk! This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with the Movimento Liberal Social and the Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.