Brussels Playbook Podcast
POLITICO’s daily audio briefing on what’s moving Brussels — and why it matters.
The Brussels Playbook Podcast is the audio extension of the Brussels Playbook newsletter. Hosted by POLITICO's chief EU correspondent, Zoya Sheftalovich, the podcast runs Monday through Thursday, offering a clear, reporting-driven guide to EU politics in under 15 minutes. It’s a perfect companion for your morning coffee.
Each episode takes listeners inside the decisions, power shifts and debates shaping the day in Brussels — and explains how they connect to national capitals across Europe.
Clear, conversational and shaped by reporting from the heart of the EU, the Brussels Playbook Podcast brings context to EU politics as your day begins.
On Fridays, the same feed features a longer episode that goes deeper into the week’s biggest themes, offering context and analysis beyond the daily news cycle — with Sarah Wheaton behind the mic.
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Ep 149: Europe's recovery — Virtual Council — A...
EU leaders met virtually to try to forge a path toward economic recovery — and they found a way not to disagree, by deciding in advance not to try to agree. With the European Commission now tasked with producing a plan, what are the main sticking points t
30 min
352
Coronavirus edition #6: Belgium death toll expl...
Why is Belgium’s coronavirus death toll so high? And will antibody tests be the panacea to ending lockdowns in Europe? POLITICO's Sarah Wheaton and Barbara Moens answer these questions in the latest edition of our special series on the coronavirus crisis
23 min
353
Ep 148: Coronavirus Twitter chat — The Brussels...
How have the EU and the U.K. handled the coronavirus crisis so far? Our podcast team took your questions on that subject in a live Twitter chat. Listen in to hear what U.K. political correspondent Annabelle Dickson, EU editor Andrew Gray, chief Europe cor
39 min
354
Coronavirus edition #5: How Europe failed coron...
Our senior health reporter Sarah Wheaton reviews the key moments of this crisis so far and answers the big questions on how Europe ended up here. You can read the deep dive Sarah co-authored with chief Brussels correspondent David M. Herszenhorn, How Euro
26 min
355
Ep 147: Who's running Britain? — Exit strategy ...
Who's running Britain? Does anyone have a plan to get us out of lockdowns? And what's behind the battle over corona bonds? We try to answer all these questions and more in this week's episode. POLITICO's Annabelle Dickson paints a portrait of Dominic Raab
32 min
356
Coronavirus edition #4: Pandemic preparations —...
David Alexander, a professor of risk and disaster reduction, explains how governments should prepare for a pandemic and why leaders seem to be in a state of "frantic improvisation" now this one has come along.Governments needed "an immediate, aggressive
27 min
357
Ep 146: Jobs Commissioner Schmit — Lockdown lim...
Nicolas Schmit, the European commissioner for jobs and social rights, is our special guest — discussing the Commission's plan to help people stay in jobs despite the coronavirus crisis.Our pan-European panel debates how long citizens will tolerate lock
34 min
358
Coronavirus edition #3: Testing questions — Co...
Herman Goossens, a professor of microbiology and coordinator of an EU group studying how to combat the coronavirus, is our special guest. What would he have done differently if he could turn back the clock? And when can we realistically expect a return to
29 min
359
Ep 145: Italian lessons — Democratic distancing...
POLITICO's Silvia Sciorilli Borrelli in Rome shares her thoughts on what the rest of Europe can learn from Italy's response to the coronavirus. Our pan-European panel debates the challenges for democracy in the age of social distancing and examines the ri
31 min
360
Coronavirus edition #2: European Commissioner Y...
We hear from someone directly involved in the EU's response to the coronavirus crisis: Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson. The Swedish commissioner talks about the challenges of trying to keep the EU's internal borders open during the crisis — and s
29 min
361
Ep 144 In Focus: Energy, presented by Shell: Eu...
As COVID-19 paralyzes Europe, our podcast panel describes daily life right now in Paris, Berlin, London and Brussels. We also look at how Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel, Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen are leading in this time of crisis. Have they
36 min
362
Coronavirus edition #1: Shutdowns & lockdowns —...
POLITICO brings you a special edition of the EU Confidential podcast focusing on the coronavirus crisis. This is the first in a series of extra episodes looking at the people, politics and policies shaping Europe's response to COVID-19.After we recap a
25 min
363
Ep 143: Italy in coronavirus lockdown — Electio...
Life under lockdown in Italy: This episode of EU Confidential leads off with a conversation with Silvia Sciorilli-Borrelli in Rome about how Italy's attempt to quell the spread of the coronavirus is impacting people's daily lives.European Council Presid
32 min
364
Ep 142, presented by Goldman Sachs: EU in crisi...
From Brussels, Berlin, Paris and London, we break down responses to the coronavirus across Europe. How are politicians and the general population in each capital reacting? Is there a coherent European response or is everyone doing their own thing?We als
32 min
365
Ep 141: Europe's coronavirus response — Carniva...
This episode of EU Confidential explores how Europe is responding to the coronavirus, with POLITICO's senior health reporter, Sarah Wheaton. We also take you to the Belgian city of Aalst, whose carnival celebrations have been widely condemned for anti-Sem
37 min
366
Ep 140: EU's €1 trillion summit — Herman Van Ro...
We go inside the special summit on the EU budget as leaders battle over plans likely to be worth more than €1 trillion over seven years. Among those sharing their thoughts with us: Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, Europ
33 min
367
EU Confidential #139, presented by the Croatian...
We go inside one of the world's top gatherings of political leaders, military commanders, ambassadors and policy experts — the Munich Security Conference. POLITICO's team of reporters analyzes the big topics to emerge from the conference, including the st
45 min
368
Ep 138, presented by the Croatian Presidency: G...
In the latest EU Confidential, ex-NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen weighs in on the future of European defense and the global artificial intelligence race. We also catch up with the new president of the European Committee of the Regions, Apostolos Tzitzik
30 min
369
Ep 137: Margrethe Vestager interview — Macron i...
Margrethe Vestager, the European Commission’s executive vice president for digital, is the main interview guest in this week's EU Confidential podcast. She made a name for herself by taking on tech giants in her last job and her new role gives her even mo
30 min
370
Ep 136: Departing Brits debate — Huawei fallout...
This episode of EU Confidential bids adieu (or is it au revoir?) to the U.K. as an EU member. You'll hear a lively debate with outgoing British MEPs Jude Kirton-Darling (Labour Party), Alex Phillips (Green Party) and Ann Widdecombe (Brexit Party) during t
31 min
371
Ep 135, presented by Goldman Sachs: PM Xavier B...
This EU Confidential episode comes to you from Davos, Switzerland where the POLITICO team has been covering the 50th edition of the World Economic Forum.You'll hear an exclusive interview with Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel on the EU's Green De
36 min
372
Davos Confidential #3, presented by Goldman Sac...
On episode 3 of POLITICO's Davos Confidential podcast series, our Editor-in-Chief Stephen Brown breaks down Donald Trump's address on Tuesday at the World Economic Forum, and Florian Eder and Rym Momtaz discuss Trump's meeting with EU Commission President
32 min
373
Davos Confidential #2, presented by Goldman Sac...
On Day 2 of Davos Confidential, we preview Donald Trump's much-anticipated speech at the World Economic Forum. Who's considered the most "controversial" among this high-powered crowd? POLITICO's Rym Momtaz, Stephen Brown and Florian Eder debate this quest
33 min
374
Davos Confidential #1, presented by Goldman Sac...
POLITICO heads to Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum this week — bringing you a special daily podcast series from the snowy mountains where some of the world's top political, business and civil society leaders gather annually to discuss press
19 min
375
Ep 134: Geopolitical tussles — EU's green cash ...
On this episode of EU Confidential, Europe is on the foreign policy defensive again after Russia and Turkey seized the initiative in Libya. But did Putin and Erdoğan overreach and could the EU step in to seal a deal? Meanwhile, Brussels presented a new fu
30 min