The Global Agora

Evil reigns in Poland and we want to fight it. That's reason enough, you don't need any other justification. Those are the words of Donald Tusk aimed at the ruling Law and Justice Party. Polish ex- Prime Minister and former President of the European Council will give up his role as president of the European People's Party to be able to fully engage in Polish affairs and to run the opposition Civic Platform party. But how much does Tusk still understand the Polish politics? What can he bring into a political arena except a heavy criticism of the Law and Justice? Just attacking Law and Justice might not be enough for Tusk to be successful. That's what Professor of Politics and Contemporary European Studies at the University of Sussex Aleks Szczerbiak thinks. He even said that the Law and Justice and its leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski are perhaps pleased with Tusk being back. Listen to our conversation.

The Chinese Communist Party was founded in July 1921. What is the brightest and what about the darkest hour of the CPP, and why? Is the party ashamed of something? And how long will Xi Jinping rule the Party and the country? About the CCP’s past, present and future, I talked to Rory Truex. He is an Assistant Professor in Princeton's Department of Politics and School of Public and International Affairs and the author of the book Making Autocracy Work: Representation and Responsiveness in Modern China. Why does he compare China's history to a pendulum? And what does he think about the Cold War with Beijing? Listen to our conversation.

Can Spain's divisions be settled? "It's best for Catalonia and for Spain and it's in accord with the Spanish Constitution. The government will work for understanding and not for confrontation." This is what Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez said when he announced a pardon for nine Catalan leaders serving prison sentences for their roles in Catalonia's 2017 independence referendum. But what does this move mean for Catalan and Spanish politics? I talked to Alejandro Quiroga, a research professor at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Listen to our conversation.

We, the Heads of State and Government of the 30 NATO Allies, have gathered in Brussels to reaffirm our unity, solidarity, and cohesion, and to open a new chapter in transatlantic relations, at a time when the security environment we face is increasingly complex. This is how the communiqué from the NATO summit that took place on June 14th starts. The document should direct the Alliance towards an updated Strategic Concept. NATO acknowledges that it faces  multifaceted threats, systemic competition from assertive and authoritarian powers,  as well as growing security challenges to its countries and its citizens from all strategic directions. Russia, China, cyber, hybrid, and other asymmetric threats, rapid advances in the space domain or the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction are mentioned in the communiqué. Climate change is called a threat multiplier that impacts Alliance security. Why is NATO talking about all those challenges? And what steps will the Alliance take to address them? I talked to Dr. Benedetta Berti, a foreign policy and security researcher, analyst, consultant, author and lecturer. She serves as Head of Policy Planning in the Office of the Secretary General at NATO. Our discussion took place at GLOBSEC 2021 conference in Bratislava. Listen to our conversation.

Speculations about his death were hugely exaggerated in the past, but it seems that the leader of Nigerian terrorist group Boko Haram Abubakar Shekau is  really dead. What does it mean for the organization that it's known for its brutality? Will the possible collapse of Boko Haram strengthen a rival group The Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP)? And BTW, if Shekau is finally dead, what about the persistent rumors that the leader of Al-Qaeda Ayman al-Zawahiri has also died? I have tried to unwrap those issues when talking to Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, a founder and chief executive officer of Valens Global and the author of Bin Laden's Legacy, the book I can only recommend. Listen to our conversation.

American President Joe Biden will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. Their summit takes place in Geneva on June 16. But does this meeting make any sense? Will it make any difference? Should it make any difference? And what to expect from Biden and from Putin? My questions were answered by Tom Nichols, U.S. Naval War College professor, and an adjunct at the U.S. Air Force School of Strategic Force Studies and the Harvard Extension School. He is also a columnist for USA Today, a contributing writer at The Atlantic, and an author of the book The Death of Expertise and of the incoming book Our Own Worst Enemy. What would be his advice for Biden before the summit? Listen to our conversation.

How big is the shadow of the former US President Donald Trump over NATO? What can the Alliance expect from Joe Biden, his successor in the White House? What are the main threats and how should the transatlantic organization deal with Russia, China or climate change? The NATO summit takes place in Brussel on June 14 and the leaders of member states will discuss the future of the Alliance and the NATO 2030 initiative. I also have had this debate. My guest is former Danish Prime Minister and, of course, former Secretary General of NATO Anders Fogh Rasmussen. He led the Alliance from 2009 till 2014 and he is a founder and chairman of Rasmussen Global. Listen to our conversation.

How successful is the Israeli air defense system Iron Dome? How does this military technology work? What are the limitations of the Iron Dome? And how much does the system create an atmosphere of false safety and what about related political implications? I have tried to find some answers to those questions with Franz-Stefan Gady. He is a Research Fellow for cyber, space and future conflict at The International Institute for Strategic Studies. Listen to our conversation.

This is a special episode. As you know The Global Agora focuses on politics, international affairs, and security. But I have many interests and I decided to create a podcast about the worldwide phenomenon called Friends. Yes, Friends, the series. It is of course influenced by the recent Friends: The Reunion special. If you have not watched it already, my podcast may contain some mild spoilers. I am not a fanatical fan of Friends, I cannot repeat all the greatest one-liners, but the show made me laugh many, many times. And it also made me cry. A few times. About the cultural and societal impact of Friends, I talked to Professor Robert Thompson, founding director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture and a Trustee Professor of Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University. And there will also be some gossip. :-) Listen to our conversation. And if you enjoy what I do, please support me on Ko-fi! Thank you. ⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/amatisak⁠ 

The parliamentary elections in Moldova will take place in less than two months but compared to previous votes this time something is different. What is it? Former Foreign Minister of Moldova Nicu Popescu will explain. He is the director of the Wider Europe programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations and he will also explain why and how the European Union should strengthen the security cooperation with its eastern neighbors. Listen to our conversation.