Why has the Portuguese politics become volatile and fragmented? What should we know about the Portuguese politicians and their conflicts of interest? How to address the problem of the Chega party and the rise of populism in Portugal? And what is the current status of the relations between Portugal and the EU?

Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Ricardo Silvestre, an author and a political scientist who is an Associate Fellow at the European Liberal Forum (ELF). Tune in for their talk!

This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.

What does growing Chinese (and Russian) influence mean for South America’s political and economic future? How are governments in the region responding to pressure from Beijing? And what role do tools like the Confucius Institutes and media influence play in shaping public opinion?

Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social) welcomes Marcos Falcone, Research Fellow at Fundación Libertad, and an Associate Professor at Universidad del CEMA. They talk about how authoritarian regimes are extending their reach in Latin America. Tune in for a conversation that uncovers the influence of China, but also of Russia, in South America, both at the economic, political, and societal level. 

This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.

What are the main Iranian actors and their options in the conflict with Israel? Are negotiations possible? What is the legitimacy of the regime and the potential for change from within the Iranian society? And can Eastern Europe serve as an inspiration for the Iranian reformists?

Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Dr. Walter Posch, a trained orientalist who works as a Middle East expert at the Institute for Peacekeeping and Conflict Management at the National Defence Academy in Vienna. Tune in for their talk!

Find out more: https://www.bmlv.gv.at/pdf_pool/publikationen/book_the_iranian_security_apparatus_posch_web.pdf

This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.

What role should nuclear energy play in Europe's transition to a cleaner, more secure energy future? As the continent works to meet its climate goals while navigating rising energy demands and geopolitical instability, nuclear is once again part of the conversation.

In this episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social) speaks with Manuel Fernández Ordóñez, Director of the Peter Huber Institute for Energy Research at Universidad de las Hespérides and author on nuclear energy policy. Together, they dive into the potential of nuclear in the energy mix, address safety concerns, and explore new technologies reshaping the sector.

This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.

What is the role of human rights advocacy in a full-scale Russian war in Ukraine? What part do Europeans play in this struggle? And how to fight the growing sense of indifference?

Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Oleksandra Matviichuk, a human rights defender who works on issues in Ukraine and the OSCE region. She heads the human rights organization Center for Civil Liberties, which was awarded the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize. Tune in for their talk!

This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.

How do we build a European budget that’s fit for the future?

In this episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social) sits down with Lukas Sustala, Political Director of NEOS and head of the NEOS Lab think tank, to dive into the ELF-NEOS Lab publication “Future-proofing the European Budget.” Together, they explore how the EU budget has evolved, what’s holding it back, and what reforms are essential as we look toward the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework.

This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.

Could the AFD party come to power in Germany? What would it mean for the German democracy and Europe? Why is the current historical narrative of the Bundesrepublik becoming useless? And what will be the identity of Germany in the future?

Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Klaus Bachmann, Professor of Political Science at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (SWPS) in Warsaw, Poland. He is a political scientist and a historian, who specializes in issues of European integration, transitional justice, recent history of Central and Eastern Europe, and totalitarian movements. Tune in for their talk!

This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.

How does Turkey navigate its strategic balancing act between Russia and the EU? Turkey stands at a geopolitical crossroads between Moscow’s influence, Brussels’ expectations, and its own shifting ambitions. In this episode, we dive into how Turkey manages its complex relationships with both Russia and the European Union, what “strategic autonomy” really means, and how domestic politics play into global positioning.

To unpack this complex dynamic, Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social) is joined by Elif Menderes, Program Manager at the Friedrich Naumann Foundation and a specialist in political communication. They discuss her chapter in the ELF publication Towards a New Iron Curtain, titled 'Türkiye's Perspective on the Resurgence of the Iron Curtain: Balancing Relations with Russia and the European Union'. 

This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.

What does the forthcoming presidential election in Poland mean for Europe? What are the main issues and divisions between the candidates that occur in the ongoing campaign? And how will the election result influence the current government and its policy?

Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Adam Jasser, an economic and political analyst with 30 years of professional experience as a journalist, an editor, and a policymaker. He is currently the Deputy Director at TVP World, a leading English-language news channel in Central Eastern Europe, and the host of 'On the Record', a current affairs show. Tune in for their talk!

This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.

Why are voters turning to radical populists, even when their promises threaten the very foundations of democracy? In this episode, Juan Pina, Secretary General of the Foundation for the Advancement of Liberty, dives deep into the rise of radical populism. He explains why this isn’t just a fringe movement but a fundamental challenge to democratic norms, fuelled by powerful external influences and shifting cultural identities.

This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.