Euroscopic Podcast Martin Gak and William Glucroft

If your kind of music is the sort of derivative spectacle that sounds like something you could have asked ChatGPT for (fwiw, I did that here), then the Eurovision Song Contest is for you. If your kind of values culture seems confused about what artistic expression is for, then you may want to consider a job with the European Broadcasting Union, which puts on the annual event.
At least EVSC gives us plenty to talk about. And we do with EUobserver editor and friend of the pod, Andrew Rettman, as we imagine a world where people vote with as much enthusiasm in elections as they do for woah-oh-oh. If it were up to me, I’d say these Finnish guys for president; at least they were fun. But it seems I am in the minority on that one.
While on the topic of those vaunted European values, we also look at a Eurovision finalist that is going the other way: Georgia. Despite its European Union candidacy and widespread public gaze westward, its leaders thought they might mix things up with a “foreign agents” law. That can’t end well.
Another political surprise: The socialists take Catalonia. Not gonna lie, I did not see that coming. Add to that the double-whammy verdicts against Germany’s Alternative for Germany, and it was something of a good week for progressive and lefty-ish forces across the bloc. Let’s see if they can keep up that momentum as we lumber towards European elections in early June.
For the inside track on what’s up in Brussels, we chat with Hugo Ortiz Dubon, a former ambassador to the EU from El Salvador who’s heading up diplomatic dialogue via The Brussels Times.
Finally: Just as we wrapped up recording, two big European news items broke. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot in an assassination attempt and, in the Netherlands, Geert Wilders got his right-wing coalition deal. Who will lead it remains TBD.
So, clearly lots already there for next week’s episode. As they say, stay with us!
Listen in and stay tuned as we further develop this venture with our partner, EUobserver. We welcome your feedback, so be in touch! You can subscribe hereand get us where your ears go for podcasts:
* Apple Podcasts
* Spotify
* EUObserver
Among other things, Martin Gak writes Inconclusive Thoughts; and William Glucroft writes The ‘Schland. We’d love to see you over there, too!
As a tiny operation, we do our best to spellcheck, factcheck, and contextualize all the information presented in the podcast. But pobody’s nerfect. If you hear something that doesn’t sound right — write! We welcome your feedback.


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit euroscopic.substack.com

Germany’s national rail company, Deutsche Bahn, is not known for the most reliable infrastructure — physical or digital. So we rolled the dice running an episode from a high-speed train to Munich. Come along for the ride!
The European Union has bigger problems than delayed trains — and so does Germany. Just weeks ahead of European elections, politicians are coming under attack. We look at what’s behind these incidents — violence begets violence.
Two interviews shed further light on the state of solidarity and cohesion in the European Union. First, literally: Greece-based journalist Konstantina Maltepioti has an in-depth report about EU cohesion policy and what enlarging the bloc might do to it. Martin then speaks to André Wilkens about how a tenuous political situation looks from the world of culture.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping paid the EU a visit for the first time in years, so we have a wrap of that. Plus other stories causing a stir in, to, and from Europe.
Stay with us for some other stories happening around the EU this week, plus an interview with Constance Sommerey and Darian Meacham from the University of Maastricht. They host the university’s podcast, “Woke as Science.”
Listen in and stay tuned as we further develop this venture with our partner, EUobserver. We welcome your feedback, so be in touch! You can subscribe here and get us where your ears go for podcasts:
* Apple Podcasts
* Spotify
* EUObserver
Among other things, Martin Gak writes Inconclusive Thoughts; and William Glucroft writes The ‘Schland. We’d love to see you over there, too!
As a tiny operation, we do our best to spellcheck, factcheck, and contextualize all the information presented in the podcast. But pobody’s nerfect. If you hear something that doesn’t sound right — write! We welcome your feedback.


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit euroscopic.substack.com

William and Martin continue their criss-crossing of the European political order. With Martin in Vienna, among other places, he got a chance to talk to Luis Moreno Ocampo, a former prosecutor at the International Criminal Court. It’s a well-timed conversation, as speculation has emerged that the ICC could be preparing warrants for top Israeli and Hamas officials.
William was over at the other international court in The Hague — the International Court of Justice, which issued its first ruling in Nicaragua’s case against Germany on allegations of violating the Genocide Convention due to support for Israel. Tl;dr: Germany is basically off the hook, though Nicaragua claims partial credit for pressuring Germany to resume UNRWA funding and easing off weapons deliveries.
Before that, William was in Maastricht for an inside-the-bubble debate between eight of the European Union’s Commission President hopefuls. Or, better said: Seven Spitzenkandidaten and Ursula von der Leyen. The American-style stage performance was an opportunity for the lead candidates of EU parties to profile themselves ahead of elections in June in which European citizens do not directly vote for them.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán also took to stages recently, promoting their worldviews and wishlist for Europe’s future. In different ways, neither may be all that convincing, leaving Martin and William to ask: Is this it?
Stay with us for some other stories happening around the EU this week, plus an interview with Constance Sommerey and Darian Meacham from the University of Maastricht. They host the university’s podcast, “Woke as Science.”
Listen in and stay tuned as we further develop this venture with our partner, EUobserver. We welcome your feedback, so be in touch! You can subscribe here and get us where your ears go for podcasts:
* Apple Podcasts
* Spotify
* EUObserver
Among other things, Martin Gak writes Inconclusive Thoughts; and William Glucroft writes The ‘Schland. We’d love to see you over there, too!
As a tiny operation, we do our best to spellcheck, factcheck, and contextualize all the information presented in the podcast. But pobody’s nerfect. If you hear something that doesn’t sound right — write! We welcome your feedback.


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit euroscopic.substack.com

What’s six months among friends? The United States Congress finally voted on more than $60 billion in fresh military aid for Ukraine, finding a way around campaign-year politicking that includes more than a few Russian-friendlier Republicans. That combined with the new billions from European Union should give Ukraine a boost on the battlefield. We shall see.
Given how many Republicans — a majority, in fact — still voted against the bill, Ukraine and its supporters should only be breathing a partial sigh of relief. The next round of money needs might be after November elections, and who knows what American foreign policy will look like depending on the results. That leaves the EU stuck in the unpleasant position it has found itself, trying to lead a dance it was always meant to follow.
Martin’s got some more information on the latest far-right shenanigans around the EU, including a high-level arrest on charges of spying for China. Xi Jinping, however, is no match for our fearless leader — EUobserver’s editor-in-chief Alejandro Tauber, who joins Euroscopic to talk about the site’s brand-new redesign and why it matters as an independent operation in an age of fragmented media.
Plus, Lorenzo Buzzoni tells us about his reporting that has analyzed rural voting habits across the EU. The article he co-authored appeared recently on EUobserver.
Listen in and stay tuned as we further develop this venture with our partner, EUobserver. We welcome your feedback, so be in touch! You can subscribe here and get us where your ears go for podcasts:
* Apple Podcasts
* Spotify
* EUObserver
Among other things, Martin Gak writes Inconclusive Thoughts; and William Glucroft writes The ‘Schland. We’d love to see you over there, too!
As a tiny operation, we do our best to spellcheck, factcheck, and contextualize all the information presented in the podcast. But pobody’s nerfect. If you hear something that doesn’t sound right — write! We welcome your feedback. Facts matter.ds


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit euroscopic.substack.com

Politics and ideology aside, the U.S.-led multinational shoot-down of hundreds of Iranian projectiles coming at Israel last weekend was an impressive feat of military-industrial engineering. So that’s what trillions of dollars and hegemonic-driven regional cooperation buys you. Neat.
Unless you’re Ukraine. Then you’re probably wondering — as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is — why no fire-in-the-skies love for me? Defending Ukrainian airspace from Russian air attack and Israel’s from Iran is not one-to-one, but the double standards are there nonetheless. They are all the more glaring given how Ukraine’s security directly affects wider Europe’s than Israel’s.
With Martin fresh back from a work trip to Brussels, he brings us stories from the Belgian (and European-ish?) capital he is not ashamed to say he loves. And he may be in good company, as new polling suggests European citizens have a crush the supranational legislature they will soon be voting for again.
Plus, Simon Van Dorpe from Follow the Money joins us to discuss his investigatory work into transparency and corruption.
Listen in and stay tuned as we further develop this venture with our partner, EUobserver. We welcome your feedback, so be in touch! You can subscribe here and get us where your ears go for podcasts:
* Apple Podcasts
* Spotify
* EUObserver
Among other things, Martin Gak writes Inconclusive Thoughts; and William Glucroft writes The ‘Schland. We’d love to see you over there, too!
As a tiny operation, we do our best to spellcheck, factcheck, and contextualize all the information presented in the podcast. But pobody’s nerfect. If you hear something that doesn’t sound right — write! We welcome your feedback. Facts matter.ds


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit euroscopic.substack.com

Not even sickness can keep Martin from the news. Thanks to his suffering, listeners get treated to his extra-savory radio voice. And there are many savory items to get through. William takes great pleasure in watching wonky soothsayers read the tea leaves of what it all means when electoral fortunes break one way or another. Last week it was Turkey; this week it was Poland.
Then we turn to the state of education, especially around Africa — home to some of the world’s youngest populations and the most in need of resources. The European Union is a big player in that sort of development aid. We speak to Laura Frigenti, the CEO of one of the EU’s biggest partners on that front, about the importance of education not only for the individual and the immediate society, but for long-term security and stability around the world.
The big story is, of course, Germany’s day in international court, facing allegations of aiding Israel’s genocide in Gaza — as Nicaragua (and not only) view it. Both sides at the ICJ in the Hague presented compelling evidence to support their respective cases: Nicaragua basically said that German officials know of violations of international law and yet have not changed course on its “reason of state” to support Israel; Germany says that’s nonsense — its support for Israel could in no way help commit genocide, if there even is one taking place at all. Nicaragua’s beef is misplaced, Germany’s lawyers repeatedly argued.
William was there for both days of oral arguments and kept his followers up-to-date.
Listen in and stay tuned as we further develop this venture with our partner, EUobserver. We welcome your feedback, so be in touch! You can subscribe here and get us where your ears go for podcasts:
* Apple Podcasts
* Spotify
* EUObserver
Among other things, Martin Gak writes Inconclusive Thoughts; and William Glucroft writes The ‘Schland. We’d love to see you over there, too!
As a tiny operation, we do our best to spellcheck, factcheck, and contextualize all the information presented in the podcast. But pobody’s nerfect. If you hear something that doesn’t sound right — write! We welcome your feedback. Facts matter.ds


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit euroscopic.substack.com