<p>This week: the Omicron variant and its impact on Europe's coronavirus response, our editor-in-chief on China's approach to Europe and Amnesty International's boss on EU emergency migration measures.</p><br><p>POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz and Sarah Wheaton break down Europe's response to the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus, the debate over making vaccines mandatory and the prospects for winter as cases continue to rise.</p><br><p>Making his podcast debut is our new Editor-in-Chief, Jamil Anderlini, who <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/jamil-anderlini-politico-europe-new-editor-in-chief-2021/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">spent</a> most of his career in Asia before making the leap to Brussels. He shares fascinating insights into China's view of Europe, the changes to the country he has seen under Xi Jinping and potential future flashpoints between Beijing and the West.</p><br><p>Agnès Callamard, the secretary-general of Amnesty International, is our special guest. She spoke with POLITICO's Hans von der Burchard during a trip to Brussels this week, just as the European Commission was unveiling new measures related to the arrival of refugees and migrants on the EU's border with Belarus.</p><br><p>Programming note: The EU Confidential crew is hosting virtual holiday drinks on Monday, December 13 at 7 p.m. CET. It's a chance to meet the people behind the podcast, ask your questions and be a part of a live taping of our end-of-year show! If you'd like to join via Zoom, email us at <a href="mailto:podcast@politico.eu" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">podcast@politico.eu</a> for more information.</p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg, France's Europe minister Clément Beaune and Dutch political theorist and author Luuk van Middelaar all feature in this episode. Plus, we dive into Germany's new government.

This week, we get the American perspective on European strategic autonomy and other issues facing the EU from Derek Chollet, the top adviser to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. We also unpack the dramatic denouement of the COP26 climate conference.

In this episode, we discuss Europe's coronavirus resurgence and the escalating migration crisis at the Polish border. Plus, we hear exclusively from Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen on the EU's efforts to rein in Big Tech.

The COP26 climate talks, a top European tech entrepreneur and a return to the question of whether the EU is funny all feature in this week's episode.

We preview two big weekend events: the G20 summit and the start of COP26 climate talks. We also discuss liberalism and its current struggles with British author and journalist Ian Dunt.

We talk to Péter Márki-Zay, the man chosen by Hungarian opposition parties to take on Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Also in this episode, we have an update on the EU's rule-of-law battle and get you up to speed on talks to form a new German government.

On the agenda this week: The EU's plans to tackle soaring energy prices, Sebastian Kurz's resignation as Austrian chancellor and a Polish challenge to the primacy of EU law.

This week: The EU's place in the world — and the Western Balkans' place in the EU. And we dive deep into the murky world EU lobbying.

We dive into the aftermath of the German election and take a closer look at Olaf Scholz, the favorite to succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor. We also unpack a new push by the EU and the U.S. to agree a common rulebook on tech and trade.

In a special show from Berlin, the POLITICO team analyzes Germany's cliffhanger election, gauges the mood in the different camps, and explores how coalition talks may play out.

We explore the defining moments of the German election campaign and debate the security-and-submarine deal between Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom that enraged France.

Ursula von der Leyen's State of the European Union address and the closing stages of the race to succeed Angela Merkel as German chancellor are our two big topics this week.

The German election campaign's impact on EU policymakers is up for debate this week. And European Council on Foreign Relations director Mark Leonard talks about his new book, "The Age of Unpeace."

We debate whether Afghanistan's collapse moves the needle in Europe's long-running dilemma over building up its own military power. Plus, we have a discussion on a new form of loneliness among younger generations in Europe.

In the wake of the withdrawal of western forces from Afghanistan, the EU is confronting renewed questions about its asylum policy. We also look at the state of the global economy, as well as Europe's coronavirus battle.

As the Taliban consolidate their hold over Afghanistan, we have reaction from around Europe to the U.S. decision to pull out and debate the policy implications for NATO and the transatlantic alliance.

We have all the recommendations you need for reading, listening and viewing to make the most of your summer holiday — courtesy of the POLITICO podcast crew, special guests and our listeners.

The devastating floods in Western Europe are our top story this week: We hear from our reporter in the German flood zone and debate the political consequences of the catastrophe. We also discuss a big spyware scandal and Western accusations of Chinese cyb

The political repercussions of Euro 2020, a massive package of European climate laws, and the first economic recovery plans approved for EU cash all feature this week.

Slovenia's awkward start to its EU presidency and a look at why Russia has France fizzing over Champagne feature this week. And our special guest is former MEP Marietje Schaake on transatlantic tech regulation.

We unpack last week's extraordinary summit of EU leaders, take stock of the coronavirus situation in Europe and bring you inside the EU's "engine room." Our special guest is former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt.

Hungary's anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, France's regional elections and U.K.-EU relations are all up for debate. And we hear from European Commission VP Maroš Šefčovič's on the U.K.-EU "sausage wars" and more.

We take stock of Joe Biden's visit to Europe and what it means for EU allies. And our special guest is European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, discussing the uphill battle for gender equality in finance.

Joe Biden's trip to Europe, an interview with Germany's transatlantic coordinator, the European Parliament's strange return to Strasbourg, and a brewing Brussels brouhaha over the French language all feature in this episode.