The Debate

There has been no ceasefire in Gaza since November. And just as tensions were subsiding a little, fears are now growing over Lebanon. We ask, in light of the latest border incidents, whether initial fears of an all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah could still prove true.

In hindsight, Iran's first-ever direct missile attacks on Israel back in April seemed like a symbolic gesture, but it certainly got Binyamin Netanyahu's top brass's attention. The same top brass is at loggerheads with the prime minister over the lack of an exit strategy in Gaza.

Netanyahu has managed to steady his political ship despite foreign and domestic pressure to resign, to the point where he can do without the opposition in a unity war cabinet. By dissolving that war cabinet, he's stared down his own far-right coalition partners. 

But for how long? And how long can the rest of the world feel the spillover? In France, eight months of war in the Middle East have strained political alliances to the point where divisions could prove a factor in crucial snap legislative elections where every vote counts.

Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Rebecca Gnignati and Melissa Kalaydjian

To Americans who complain that their election campaigns drag on for far too long, welcome to France where it is indeed a sprint, not a marathon.
 

Here, politicians have 12 short days to convince in snap legislative elections that could redraw France – and Europe's – political landscape. Hard to believe it's only been a week since a far-right surge in European elections sparked Emmanuel Macron's shock decision to dissolve parliament. 

With the country split in three between a hastily concluded alliance of the left, the centre-right under Macron, and Marine Le Pen's National Rally, we ask which way the pendulum is about to swing and whether calls for a "Republican front" against the far right still resonate, even when they come from stars of the national football squad.

France's president has been roundly criticised for taking too great a leap into the unknown with his "clear the air" strategy of sending citizens back to the polls. The question now is whether voters, too, are willing to take a gamble and flirt with a rollback of the French republic's universal values.

Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Rebecca Gnignati and Juliette Brown. 

What are summits about? Most of the time, minions and sherpas have long before agreed on policy points before the red carpet has even been rolled out. Arguably most important in a summit are the photo ops: a chance for politicians to show they are at the helm, helping to rule the world in a spirit of cooperation. So what does this lot rule over? Dateline the Puglia resort of Borgo Egnazia on Italy’s Adriatic coast. 

The radiant host is Giorgia Meloni, the far-right leader who finished tops in her country in last Sunday’s European elections. Watch all the other G7 leaders. How forced are the smiles for more mainstream incumbents? They’re either reeling from last Sunday, looking over their shoulder as they prepare to face electoral verdicts to come, or in some cases, both.

French President Emmanuel Macron did so badly against the far right that he has called snap legislative elections. Does this summit mark the dying days of a certain kind of Western world order? That brings us to the other reason why summits matter: sidebar talks. 

Liberal democracy is not on the official agenda. So what kind of notes will those weakened incumbents trade on the sidelines as they do battle with a populist surge?

Produced by Maya Yataghene, Rebecca Gnignati and Juliette Brown.

Let's start with the good news for Ukraine. Long-range weapons from the West have finally arrived, with more on the way, and the Russian offensive of the past month seems to be stalling. Now for the not-so-good news. As Volodymyr Zelensky lobbies a repair and reconstruction conference in Berlin, his country might be on borrowed time.

We ask about plans to sell state assets to pay for the war and Western backers looking over their shoulders after Sunday's European elections. The far right National Rally, which borrowed money from Russia for a 2017 campaign loan, did so well in France that the president triggered snap legislative elections. Fears that supporting Ukraine could lead to World War Three resonate with Marine Le Pen's voters and the far left. 

That's the mood music that takes Zelensky from Berlin, to Thursday’s G7 summit, to the one he is organising this coming weekend in Switzerland in a bid to rally support for a long-term plan. What's at stake in the days ahead?

Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Rebecca Gnignati and Juliette Brown. 

When Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, everyone knew war would follow. But few probably expected it to last eight long months in one of the world's most densely populated areas. Will the latest hopes of a truce once again be dashed? Critics contend that for leaders on both sides, managing a war is easier than ending it. After all, they run the risk of being held to account once it's over.

Yet this time, could outside pressure finally bear fruit? The opposition is quitting Israel's war cabinet. That gives Binyamin Netanyahu and his far-right coalition free rein, but also full responsibility.

There is also the UN Security Council, which doesn't agree on anything these days, agreeing on a US ceasefire resolution. Can Netanyahu stick to his guns and can Hamas continue to hold innocent hostages in urban areas with no regard to the dangers exposed on innocent civilians all around? More broadly, how to finally get a deal over the line?

Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Rebecca Gnignati and Juliette Brown.

First came the exit polls. Then, less than an hour later: a second shock. On the heels of the French far right’s record score in European elections, President Emmanuel Macron dissolved parliament and called surprise snap elections.

Since losing his outright majority in parliament after his re-election as president in 2022, Macron had muddled through with a mixture of compromises and executive decrees. Now, suddenly, comes a lightning-fast three-week campaign before a June 30 first round of voting. Just how risky a gamble is this?

Can Marine Le Pen's party ride the wave and win an outright majority? It's a tall order in a country where a two-round voting system safeguards against the extremes, but then again, who thought her National Rally party could win 89 seats the last time?

We ask why a growing number of women and young people turned to the far right and how much France's return to the polls will resonate beyond its borders. What will the impact be on Europe and beyond? Which way will the pendulum swing?

Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Rebecca Gnignati and Juliette Brown.

D-Day is being commemorated, as this June 6 marks the 80th anniversary of what became known as The Longest Day.
For the soldiers and for French civilians killed as part of the collateral damage of the liberation of their country, there's a complex legacy to one of the most compelling stories in military history.
 

In this Debate we salute those who suffered, who made the ultimate sacrifice, who were tragic victims of the decisions taken in times of war. We also examine why we are where we are right now: in a world still gripped by conflict. Some even say we're on the brink of World War Three. 

Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Rebecca Gnignati and Juliette Brown.

 

Read more‘History comes alive’ as last veterans mark 80 years since D-Day

Fake news, bogus websites, deepfake interviews augmented by AI: we have all, often without our knowledge, fallen foul of this kind of manipulation. And most of it is coming from Russia. With our panel, we explore the how and why behind this. We also aim to provide you with some ways to be more aware of what you are exposed to online.

Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Rebecca Gnignati and Juliette Brown.

After India's marathon election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is claiming victory with a historic third successive term. Modi has been criticised throughout the election campaign for abusing state press and broadcast media. There was also the case of the jailed opposition figures and the alleged suppression of the Muslim vote.

When he was first elected in 2014, Modi's central mantra was "identity is nationality, not religion". Modi enters a third term with his BJP party firmly tethered to a political course called Hindu nationalism. Minorities – Muslims, Christians and Sikh separatists – all have reasons not to be optimistic about what's to come with Modi's third term. 

Our panel assess the election and look ahead to where Modi could take India next. On foreign policy issues - Pakistan, Kashmir, China, Russia and Ukraine - where will New Delhi stand? 

Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Rebecca Gnignati and Juliette Brown.

What if the far right gets its act together? Europeans are picking a parliament this week, the first since the EU's significance went to the next level with Covid, the war in Ukraine as well as showdowns over Chinese dumping and US tech. Europe matters more than before, yet for the first time in a quarter-century, the status quo is at risk. Why?

One woman is at the heart of it all: Giorgia Meloni. Italy's prime minister has proven to be a team player to mainstream partners at the EU level, while harking back to her far-right roots on the current campaign trail. Could she tack centre right as she claims to be, or strike a deal with the likes of Marine Le Pen, whose National Rally could smash its record high here in France?

Even if nationalist and far-right voting blocs remain splintered in the next parliament, what impact on policy if the centre left fades? Will nascent efforts for a common European defence die a quick death? Will the EU's Green Deal and the move away from fossil fuels run out of gas? What about migration policy? More broadly, as another election campaign unfolds in the US, how strong is nativist sentiment here in Europe?

Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Rebecca Gnignati and Juliette Brown.