Talking Europe FRANCE 24 English

He's been seen campaigning on empty beer crates in pubs and playing table tennis. Talking Europe catches up with the lead candidate of the Party of The European Socialists (PES) and asks him what he has learned in this EU election campaign, away from the buttoned-up confines of the Berlaymont building in Brussels. We ask him if he will block the nomination of Ursula von der Leyen for a second term at the head of the European Commission if she goes for a tie-up between her centre-right EPP group and the hard right ECR. Schmit, who is currently also EU Commissioner for jobs and social rights, answers: "If Mrs. von der Leyen tries an arrangement with the extreme right, she will not be able to count on the support of the Socialists."

Five years after the fall of the so-called Islamic State caliphate in Iraq and Syria, the EU's anti-terrorism coordinator sees a more diffuse threat, coming from many different directions and spreading online. This is what Bartjan Wegter calls "mutant jihadism". With FRANCE 24's Armen Georgian, he discusses Afghanistan, IS-KP (Islamic State – Khorasan Province), and how the French authorities are trying to make the upcoming Olympic games secure – efforts that Wegter praises as "impressive". Wegter admits that more needs to be done to tackle what he calls "borderline content" online that might be inciting hatred and fuelling individuals' radicalisation. He also draws attention to new forms of terrorist financing such as cryptocurrencies – something that the EU and national authorities should keep a close eye on, he says.

Voters under 30 account for a sixth of Europe's electorate. That's an important group for political parties to win over during this EU election season. Young people are less likely to take part in European elections than older generations, which makes them a prize for parties that know how to clinch their votes. But those aged 18 to 30 aren’t just a demographic. Their choices are a bellwether of what the priorities of Europeans will look like in the future, for instance on climate change and energy independence. We discuss this with our guests.

A Polish prime minister saying he's ashamed of his Polish identity. A flood of migrants assaulting people on the streets of Bulgaria's capital. The grandmother of a top European official shaking hands with Adolf Hitler. All of these are fake stories; part of what European officials say is a surge in disinformation ahead of next month's European elections. Much of it comes from Russia, without love. 

This week we take a closer look at the Green Transition in Europe - from the invaluable invertebrates in the soil beneath us, to the end of obsolete coal mines and the revolution in transport, our show investigates just how fast Europe is becoming greener - and how to ensure no-one is left behind in the race to decarbonise.

Another edition of our EU election series, on individual countries and regions in the EU: The Republic of Ireland is considered to be one of the most pro-EU member states, and the Eurobarometer poll that came out this spring bears that out: 67 percent of respondents said that the EU conjures up a positive image. But being pro-European does not necessarily mean supporting the traditional pro-EU parties in Ireland. Indeed, this election campaign has seen increased support for independent candidates. Is that trend related to the big social challenges that Ireland is facing - housing, and the cost of living?