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EU Confidential is in New York for the U.N. General Assembly, where leaders from around the globe are gathering to hash out some of the most pressing issues. Those range from the climate catastrophe to reform of the UN itself and Russia's war in Ukraine — it's the most action-packed week on the international diplomatic agenda. 
To make sense of the big stories driving the talks at this year’s UNGA, host Suzanne Lynch is joined by Anne McElvoy – POLITICO’s executive editor and head of audio, who also hosts POLITICO’s brand new "Power Play" podcast. Don’t miss this week's inaugural episode featuring a wide-ranging interview on foreign policy with Keir Starmer, leader of the U.K. Labour Party and possibly the next British prime minister.   
Later in the show, Suzanne talks to Werner Hoyer, who is ending his 12-year term as head of the European Investment Bank. They focus on the EIB's support for green technologies in Europe and beyond, and discuss the future of an institution whose leadership position is up for grabs. Will the outgoing president reveal who he's rooting for?
Finally, we bring you a conversation with European Commission Executive Vice President Maroš Šefčovič, currently serving as the EU's climate chief. He explains how the European Green Deal and its ambitious targets are faring here in New York.

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In this bumper episode, we bring you the main takeaways from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's annual State of the European Union address, as well as reactions from members of the European Parliament. 
The Commission president needed over an hour to highlight her key achievements and lay out plans for the coming months. Host Suzanne Lynch talks to POLITICO’s Chief Policy Correspondent Sarah Wheaton and together they break down the main points highlighted in the speech: the European Green Deal, the EU’s industrial plans, migration, enlargement and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. They also look for hidden messages and potential clues regarding von der Leyen's political future — did she hint she wants a second term as Commission chief? 
Later, our colleague Eddy Wax, who covers the European Parliament for POLITICO, chairs a lively debate about the Commission president’s address with members of the European Parliament: Karen Melchior from Renew Europe, Eva Maydell representing the European People’s Party and Marc Botenga from the Left.  

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It's “back to school” week here in Brussels, so we're looking ahead to what policies will dominate the news in the coming months. Also, our special guest is Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani.
Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by POLITICO’s Sarah Wheaton and Nick Vinocur to discuss big European issues and events to watch out for in coming weeks. And there are many: the State of the Union Address by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the race to get the top job at the European Investment Bank, elections in 2024, migration, and, of course, enlargement of the EU bloc. 
Then, we get the perspective from a leader of one the countries on the path to join the EU – Kosovo. We hear from its president, Vjosa Osmani, who unpacks the challenges Kosovo is facing, including tensions with neighbouring Serbia, enlargement fatigue and inertia on the side of Brussels. 
Finally, we welcome our new Senior Audio Producer Dionisios Sturis, who is joining the EU Confidential team.  

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EU Confidential returns from its summer break, bringing you this episode from the European Forum Alpbach in Austria where the theme of a "bold Europe" has prompted discussions about Europe's internal as well as geopolitical challenges.
Host Suzanne Lynch sits down with Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg to discuss his suggestion that the EU needs to rethink how it expands its membership to countries like Ukraine, Moldova and hopefuls in the Western Balkans — a debate heating up this week, with both French President Emmanuel Macron and European Council President Charles Michel weighing in on the issue.
Then, Suzanne gathers together an all-star panel on the sidelines of the forum to discuss whether Europe's approach to the so-called Global South has been misguided. She's joined by María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, an Ecuadorian diplomat, scientist, politician and former president of the United Nations General Assembly; Arancha González Laya, Spain's former foreign minister and now dean of the Paris School of International Affairs at Sciences Po; and Oby Ezekwesili, former minister for education and minister of mineral resources of Nigeria, and senior economic adviser of the Africa Economic Development Policy Initiative.
Remember that our episodes will now land in your podcast feeds at our new time early Friday mornings!

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In this episode, we unpack what to expect in Brussels this August as EU decision making grinds to a halt. Also, we explore how extreme weather in Europe is weighing against tourism demands, and how politicians are responding.
Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by Nicholas Vinocur, POLITICO's editor at large, and EU politics reporter Gregorio Sorgi. They explain the European Commission's "designated survivor" concept, which keeps the legislative body afloat thanks to a few (unlucky) commissioners stuck in the Berlaymont. Also, with EU decision making largely on hold, we reveal the other stories that could bubble up this summer — and forecast the big issues we can expect to dominate headlines come September.
Suzanne is then joined by Zia Weise, our reporter covering climate policy, and aviation reporter Mari Eccles to discuss the extreme weather experienced by parts of Europe in July and how this is shaping everything from policymaking to tourism.
Programming note: We are taking a summer break and will return on September 1 — at a new day and time! EU Confidential is moving from our usual Thursday evenings to early Friday mornings. So do be sure to follow the podcast so that you never miss an episode. See you in September!

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We analyze the outcome of the recent elections in Spain and what it means for the country and the EU going forward. Also, we discuss the EU's proposal targeting SLAPPs — strategic lawsuits against public participation, which often target journalists and civil society activists.
Host Suzanne Lynch is joined by POLITICO's Aitor Hernández-Morales to discuss the outcome of the Spanish election on July 23. Aitor explains the fascinating forces that shaped the final days of the campaign, why the outcome isn't so clear cut, and where the government goes from here. You can read all of Aitor's reporting on the election here.
Then, Suzanne speaks to Andrew Caruana Galizia, the son of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia who was killed in 2017 by a car bomb in an assassination that shocked Malta and the wider European community. At the time of her death, Daphne was facing dozens of so-called SLAPPs lawsuits. Andrew explains what the EU is trying to do to harmonize anti-SLAPPs legislation across the bloc, but why it's at risk of being watered down.

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