Brussels, My Love?

Ten years on, Brexit ghosts still linger 19.06.2026 19min

Ten years after Britain voted to leave the EU, the political and economic consequences of Brexit remain a subject of debate. On this episode of Brussels, My Love?, we mark the anniversary with an exclusive interview with the co-hosts of The Europeans podcast, alongside analysis and debate from our panel: corporate lobbyist Connor Allen and Euronews correspondent Shona Murray.Brussels, My Love? is Euronews' weekly podcast hosted by Méabh Mc Mahon, giving you all the context you need to make sense of the European Union (EU).From plans to transition from an economic trading bloc to a military powerhouse to bans on tofu sausages, you’ll discover how EU laws are debated and created, along with sharp analysis from some of Brussels’ brightest minds.Do you want to get in touch? Email us at brusselsmylove@euronews.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is politics taking the focus off the pitch at this year's World Cup? 12.06.2026 16min

As the EU's Migration and Asylum Pact comes into force, debate is already shifting to new proposals aimed at increasing migrant returns. Meanwhile, the FIFA World Cup has kicked off amid growing controversy over travel bans, immigration enforcement and the role of politics in sport. In this episode of Brussels, my love? Méabh Mc Mahon is joined by Virginie Jacob, Petros Fassoulas and Adnan Leal to discuss what the migration pact means for Europe and whether politics is overshadowing the World Cup games. Brussels, My Love? is Euronews' weekly podcast hosted by Méabh Mc Mahon, giving you all the context you need to make sense of the European Union (EU).From plans to transition from an economic trading bloc to a military powerhouse to bans on tofu sausages, you’ll discover how EU laws are debated and created, along with sharp analysis from some of Brussels’ brightest minds.Do you want to get in touch? Email us at brusselsmylove@euronews.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The economic battle between Brussels and Beijing 05.06.2026 20min

As tensions between Brussels and Beijing escalate, the EU is stepping up efforts to tackle Chinese overcapacity and pursue a strategy of "de-risking" its economic relationship with China. But what does de-risking actually mean? Could it lead to higher prices for consumers? And how close are the EU and China to a full-blown trade war? This week, Méabh Mc Mahon is joined by EU-Asia relations expert Stefania Benaglia, PPF Group's Chief External Affairs Officer Jan Růžička, and Euronews political correspondent Jorge Liboreiro to unpack the growing trade dispute. From industrial policy and economic security to Europe's competitiveness and global ambitions, the panel explores what is at stake for businesses, policymakers, and citizens across Europe. Brussels, My Love? is Euronews' weekly podcast hosted by Méabh Mc Mahon, giving you all the context you need to make sense of the European Union (EU).From plans to transition from an economic trading bloc to a military powerhouse to bans on tofu sausages, you’ll discover how EU laws are debated and created, along with sharp analysis from some of Brussels’ brightest minds.Do you want to get in touch? Email us at brusselsmylove@euronews.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An unusual heatwave with a sinister twist 29.05.2026 16min

From blistering heatwaves sweeping Europe to rising security tensions along the Baltic border, this week’s episode dives into the stories keeping officials in Brussels awake at night. We unpack the climate warnings behind Western Europe’s record-breaking temperatures, the growing pressure on Europe’s food systems, and the intensifying hybrid threats facing NATO’s eastern flank. Our panel includes Ionela Maria Ciolan, research officer at the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, Angela Skujins, Euronews defence correspondent and Jeremy Wilks, Euronews science correspondent.Brussels, My Love? is Euronews' weekly podcast hosted by Méabh Mc Mahon, giving you all the context you need to make sense of the European Union (EU).From plans to transition from an economic trading bloc to a military powerhouse to bans on tofu sausages, you’ll discover how EU laws are debated and created, along with sharp analysis from some of Brussels’ brightest minds.Do you want to get in touch? Email us at brusselsmylove@euronews.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wait… Are we talking about Brexit again? 22.05.2026 23min

Nearly a decade after the referendum, Britain is arguing about Brexit all over again. Was it a historic mistake, a necessary act of sovereignty, or something the country still hasn’t fully understood? Host Méabh Mc Mahon unpacks why the debate has returned and what is the view from Brussels with guests Dharmendra Kanani, Natalie Sarkic-Todd and Euronews' politics correspondent Stefan Grobe.Brussels, My Love? is Euronews' weekly podcast hosted by Méabh Mc Mahon, giving you all the context you need to make sense of the European Union (EU).From plans to transition from an economic trading bloc to a military powerhouse to bans on tofu sausages, you’ll discover how EU laws are debated and created, along with sharp analysis from some of Brussels’ brightest minds.Do you want to get in touch? Email us at brusselsmylove@euronews.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hungary after Viktor Orbán: How 16 years vanished in 30 days 15.05.2026 19min

After 16 years of Viktor Orbán’s rule, Hungary suddenly feels like a different country. The billboards are gone, the propaganda machine has fallen silent, and new Prime Minister Péter Magyar is promising sweeping change. This week on Euronews’ weekly podcast Brussels, My Love?, we explore Hungary’s political reset — and what it means for the EU. Host Méabh Mc Mahon is joined by Sándor Zsiros, Euronews’ Hungarian correspondent, Teresa Küchler, Swedish EU affairs expert and correspondent for Svenska Dagbladet, with a bonus appearance from Euronews' political correspondent Luca Bertuzzi for updates on the latest tweaks to the EU AI Act.Brussels, My Love? is Euronews' weekly podcast hosted by Méabh Mc Mahon, giving you all the context you need to make sense of the European Union (EU).From plans to transition from an economic trading bloc to a military powerhouse to bans on tofu sausages, you’ll discover how EU laws are debated and created, along with sharp analysis from some of Brussels’ brightest minds.Do you want to get in touch? Email us at brusselsmylove@euronews.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How the EU is juggling geopolitical turmoil: From politics to Eurovision 08.05.2026 23min

On the eve of Europe Day, Brussels, My Love? explores Europe’s place in the international stage with Tomi Huhtanen, executive director of the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, and Shona Murray, Euronews’ senior correspondent. What is the state of the transatlantic alliance? And, are these geopolitical issues dividing or uniting the bloc? And, we look at the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, taking place next week in Vienna, with Dean Vuletic, historian and author of the book Postwar Europe and the Eurovision Song Contest.Brussels, My Love? is Euronews' weekly podcast hosted by Méabh Mc Mahon, giving you all the context you need to make sense of the European Union (EU).From plans to transition from an economic trading bloc to a military powerhouse to bans on tofu sausages, you’ll discover how EU laws are debated and created, along with sharp analysis from some of Brussels’ brightest minds.Do you want to get in touch? Email us at brusselsmylove@euronews.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is the future looking bright or bleak for European workers? 01.05.2026 22min

On International Labour Day, Brussels, My Love? sits down with Esther Lynch, general secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), Mikkel Barslund, researcher at KU Leuven, and Clark Parsons, CEO of the European Startup Network, to explore the challenges and opportunities shaping the European job market and how these impact its workers. Brussels, My Love? is Euronews' weekly podcast hosted by Méabh Mc Mahon, giving you all the context you need to make sense of the European Union (EU).From plans to transition from an economic trading bloc to a military powerhouse to bans on tofu sausages, you’ll discover how EU laws are debated and created, along with sharp analysis from some of Brussels’ brightest minds.Do you want to get in touch? Email us at brusselsmylove@euronews.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Should—and can—the EU change its relationship with Israel? 24.04.2026 18min

On Tuesday, Germany and Italy blocked a bid to end the highly debated EU association agreement with Israel.  To comprehend the vote and its implications, Brussels, My Love? sits down with Martin Konečný, European Middle East Project director and Vincenzo Genovese, Euronews’ EU reporter.Brussels, My Love? is Euronews' weekly podcast hosted by Méabh Mc Mahon, giving you all the context you need to make sense of the European Union (EU).From plans to transition from an economic trading bloc to a military powerhouse to bans on tofu sausages, you’ll discover how EU laws are debated and created, along with sharp analysis from some of Brussels’ brightest minds.Do you want to get in touch? Email us at brusselsmylove@euronews.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The end of Viktor Orbán’s rule: What now? 17.04.2026 21min

On Sunday, 12 April, Hungarian voters cast their ballots in the country’s parliamentary election, ending Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's 16-year rule. Will Prime Minister-designate Péter Magyar be able to break with Orbán’s legacy? What does his party’s victory mean for Hungarians and the EU? To answer these and more questions, we talk to former Belgian PM and former European Council President Charles Michel, and to Euronews’ EU correspondent Sandor Zsiros. Brussels, My Love? is Euronews' weekly podcast hosted by Méabh Mc Mahon, giving you all the context you need to make sense of the European Union (EU).From plans to transition from an economic trading bloc to a military powerhouse to bans on tofu sausages, you’ll discover how EU laws are debated and created, along with sharp analysis from some of Brussels’ brightest minds.Do you want to get in touch? Email us at brusselsmylove@euronews.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fragile ceasefire, fragile energy system: How will Europeans cope? 10.04.2026 19min

The United States and Iran reached a fragile truce on Tuesday, after a month and a half of conflict in the Middle East. A serious peace deal is yet to made though. In this fast-changing context, Brussels, My Love? looked into the energy crisis arising from instability in the region with Frederico Oliveira da Silva, head of energy at BEUC, the European Consumer Organisation, Dimitar Lilkov, senior research officer at the Wilfried Martens Centre, and Marta Pacheco, EU energy and environmental reporter at Euronews.Brussels, My Love? is Euronews' weekly podcast hosted by Méabh Mc Mahon, giving you all the context you need to make sense of the European Union (EU).From plans to transition from an economic trading bloc to a military powerhouse to bans on tofu sausages, you’ll discover how EU laws are debated and created, along with sharp analysis from some of Brussels’ brightest minds.Do you want to get in touch? Email us at brusselsmylove@euronews.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SPECIAL EPISODE: Brussels Naked: Books beyond the headlines 05.04.2026 13min

In this special Easter Sunday bonus episode, we step away from the headlines and into the world of books. Joined by Brussels-based author Irina Papancheva and correspondent Stefan Grobe, we explore life in the EU bubble — and the stories that help us escape it. From ‘Brussels Naked’ to political page-turners, it’s a conversation about switching off and getting lost in a good read.Brussels, My Love? is Euronews' weekly podcast hosted by Méabh Mc Mahon, giving you all the context you need to make sense of the European Union (EU).From plans to transition from an economic trading bloc to a military powerhouse to bans on tofu sausages, you’ll discover how EU laws are debated and created, along with sharp analysis from some of Brussels’ brightest minds.Do you want to get in touch? Email us at brusselsmylove@euronews.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hungary gets ready to vote: Inside a toxic campaign 03.04.2026 14min

On 12 April 2026, Hungary heads to the polls in a parliamentary election that could have major implications for the European Union. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, leader of the eurosceptic Fidesz party, faces a challenge from Péter Magyar of the Tisza party—a former ally turned opponent. To understand what’s at stake for both Budapest and Brussels, we speak to Euronews EU correspondent Sándor Zsiros, who breaks down the increasingly toxic political campaign.Brussels, My Love? is Euronews' weekly podcast hosted by Méabh Mc Mahon, giving you all the context you need to make sense of the European Union (EU).From plans to transition from an economic trading bloc to a military powerhouse to bans on tofu sausages, you’ll discover how EU laws are debated and created, along with sharp analysis from some of Brussels’ brightest minds.Do you want to get in touch? Email us at brusselsmylove@euronews.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Ljubljana to Copenhagen: A dramatic week at the polls 27.03.2026 13min

On this exciting electoral week for two European Union member states, Slovenia and Denmark, 'Brussels, My Love?' brings you ten takeaways from the two elections with EU politics expert Petros Fassoulas from the European Movement International. In Slovenia, 1,6 million people were eligible to vote in the parliamentary elections where then main fight came down to two men: the president of the Freedom Movement and the current prime minister, Robert Golob, and the president of the SDS, and the three-time former prime minister, Janez Janša. Meanwhile in Denmark, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen's Social Democrats won the most votes in the snap general election but saw its weakest performance since 1903.Brussels, My Love? is Euronews' weekly podcast hosted by Méabh Mc Mahon, giving you all the context you need to make sense of the European Union (EU).From plans to transition from an economic trading bloc to a military powerhouse to bans on tofu sausages, you’ll discover how EU laws are debated and created, along with sharp analysis from some of Brussels’ brightest minds.Do you want to get in touch? Email us at brusselsmylove@euronews.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Europe's biggest political party shifting too far to the right? 20.03.2026 18min

This week on the podcast, we examine the major scandal facing the European People's Party coinciding with its 50th anniversary. Party boss Manfred Weber has been accused of working with the far right, despite a firewall meant to prevent such cooperation. We also discuss France’s local elections where the far right is making gains and could take control of some cities in the South of France. Sophie Pornschlegel, Teresa Küchler, and Stefan Grobe are our guests this week. Brussels, My Love? is Euronews' weekly podcast hosted by Méabh Mc Mahon, giving you all the context you need to make sense of the European Union (EU).From plans to transition from an economic trading bloc to a military powerhouse to bans on tofu sausages, you’ll discover how EU laws are debated and created, along with sharp analysis from some of Brussels’ brightest minds.Do you want to get in touch? Email us at brusselsmylove@euronews.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3 ways the war with Iran is hitting Europe 13.03.2026 19min

Two weeks into the United States-Israel war on Iran, is the European Union ready to face the security and economic consequences of the conflict in the Middle East?  "Brussels, My Love?" tries to answer this and other questions with political analyst Cornelius Adebahr, director of the EU Institute for Security Studies, Steven Everts, and Euronews’ editor-in-chief and former Middle East correspondent Sophie Claudet.Brussels, My Love? is Euronews' weekly podcast hosted by Méabh Mc Mahon, giving you all the context you need to make sense of the European Union (EU).From plans to transition from an economic trading bloc to a military powerhouse to bans on tofu sausages, you’ll discover how EU laws are debated and created, along with sharp analysis from some of Brussels’ brightest minds.Do you want to get in touch? Email us at brusselsmylove@euronews.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

International Women’s Day in a time of war 06.03.2026 25min

While people across Europe prepare to celebrate International Women’s Day on Sunday, 8 March, women elsewhere in the world face growing uncertainty. The United States and Israel’s war with Iran, and the elimination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, have raised urgent questions about what lies ahead for women in the country. To answer this question, and to assess where the EU stands in terms of gender equality, Méabh Mc Mahon sits down with European Women’s Lobby’s secretary general Mary Collins, Euronews’ journalist Evelyn Dom, associate professor of sociology at the University of Amsterdam Ladan Rahbari, and ALDE’s secretary general Didrik de Schaetzen.Brussels, My Love? is Euronews' weekly podcast hosted by Méabh Mc Mahon, giving you all the context you need to make sense of the European Union (EU).From plans to transition from an economic trading bloc to a military powerhouse to bans on tofu sausages, you’ll discover how EU laws are debated and created, along with sharp analysis from some of Brussels’ brightest minds.Do you want to get in touch? Email us at brusselsmylove@euronews.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How activism is helping Ukrainians endure four years of full-scale war 27.02.2026 20min

“You can ask every Ukrainian, no matter where they were in Ukraine or outside, and they will remember moment by moment where they were and what they were doing the moment Russia started its full-scale invasion,” Euronews’ Ukraine correspondent Sasha Vakulina tells Méabh Mc Mahon. Alongside Marta Barandiy, founding president of Promote Ukraine and Katharina Emschermann from the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, Vakulina joined this week’s episode of Brussels, My Love? the podcast to discuss the 4th anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Brussels, My Love? is Euronews' weekly podcast hosted by Méabh Mc Mahon, giving you all the context you need to make sense of the European Union (EU).From plans to transition from an economic trading bloc to a military powerhouse to bans on tofu sausages, you’ll discover how EU laws are debated and created, along with sharp analysis from some of Brussels’ brightest minds.Do you want to get in touch? Email us at brusselsmylove@euronews.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can the EU ever become a superpower? 20.02.2026 27min

At a medieval castle in the Belgian countryside last week, European leaders gathered to discuss competitiveness, deregulation, industrial policy and the future of the Single Market. In this episode, we unpack what this retreat was all about: Who’s pushing for cutting red tape? Who wants deeper integration? Is deregulation the key to the EU’s economic growth? Is “pragmatic federalism” the secret ingredient for a powerful Europe? To answer these questions, we sit down with MLex managing editor for Europe, Kait Bolongaro, president of Eurochambres, Vladimír Dlouhý and President of the Foundation for European Progressive Studies and former EU Commissioner, Nicolas Schmit.Brussels, My Love? is Euronews' weekly podcast hosted by Méabh Mc Mahon, giving you all the context you need to make sense of the European Union (EU).From plans to transition from an economic trading bloc to a military powerhouse to bans on tofu sausages, you’ll discover how EU laws are debated and created, along with sharp analysis from some of Brussels’ brightest minds.Do you want to get in touch? Email us at brusselsmylove@euronews.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Brazil to Brussels: What's the beef with the Mercosur trade deal? 13.02.2026 24min

Which EU leader would you choose for a dinner date this Valentine's day? And is the EU-Mercosur deal as big an opportunity as it has been portrayed? To discuss these topics, we sat down with Pedro Miguel da Costa e Silva, Brazil’s ambassador to the EU, Adélaïde Charlier, Belgian climate and human rights activist and Teresa Küchler, European correspondent for Swedish daily Svenska Dagbladet.Brussels, My Love? is Euronews' weekly podcast hosted by Méabh Mc Mahon, giving you all the context you need to make sense of the European Union (EU).From plans to transition from an economic trading bloc to a military powerhouse to bans on tofu sausages, you’ll discover how EU laws are debated and created, along with sharp analysis from some of Brussels’ brightest minds.Do you want to get in touch? Email us at brusselsmylove@euronews.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.