Polls suggest that the largest single party will be the Brothers of Italy - and its leader Giorgia Meloni will therefore be prime minister. That’s causing consternation in some quarters because the party has roots in the fascist-influenced politics of post-war Italy. Gideon’s guest this week is Nathalie Tocci, the director of the Institute for International Affairs, a think-tank based in Rome.

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Presented by Gideon Rachman.

Produced by Howie Shannon. The sound engineer was Breen Turner. 

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Gideon’s guest this week is Ramachandra Guha, who is often hailed as the most distinguished historian of modern India.

He is also a noted critic of the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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Produced by Fiona Symon and Howie Shannon. The sound engineer was Breen Turner. 

-Read the latest on https://www.ft.com/world/uk

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Six months into the Ukraine war, Gideon talks to Phillips O'Brien, professor of strategic studies at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, about the balance of forces on each side. With Russian forces bogged down, is a Ukrainian victory now a possibility?

Clips: The Guardian, Al Jazeera, The Aspen Institute

More on this topic:

Six months of war in Ukraine: ‘The enemy learned fast’

Join the FT Telegram channel to receive Ukraine coverage alerts

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in maps — latest updates

The global reach of Alexander Dugin

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon talks to Chinese-American academic Minxin Pei about China’s reaction to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. What does it tell us about Xi Jinping’s leadership as he bids for a third term as president?

Clips: The Sun; Daily Telegraph

More on this topic:

Taiwan tensions force multinationals to rethink China risk

China ratchets up pressure on Taiwan after US congressional visit

Taiwan greets Chinese military intimidation with parties rather than panic

Xi Jinping grasps ‘knife’ of internal security to complete grip on power

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon talks to the South African writer and political activist, Songezo Zibi, about the need to build a coalition for change to help restore some of the high hopes that accompanied the end of apartheid.

Clips: SABC, The Sun

More on this topic:

Bain barred from UK state contracts over ‘grave misconduct’ in South Africa

South Africa hopes private sector can help end Eskom power crisis

South Africa’s Ramaphosa under fire after ranch burglary fuels questions over wealth

How three brothers ‘captured’ a country

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Sergio Jaramillo was one of the architects behind Colombia’s landmark peace deal with Marxist guerrilla group Farc. Now, as a senior adviser at the European Institute of Peace, he explains if and how Ukraine and Russia could ever arrive at a ceasefire or peace negotiation. John Paul Rathbone, security and defence correspondent for the Financial Times, talks to Jaramillo about how negotiations are as important a part of military strategy as fighting on the battlefield, and what Europe should do to support Ukraine.

Presented by John Paul Rathbone. Produced by Fiona Symon and Persis Love. Sound design by Breen Turner

Clips: BBC, MSNBC, Associated Press

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Human rights lawyer Cori Crider co-founded Foxglove, a group that fights on behalf of those harmed by the misuse of technology. She talks to the FT’s Madhumita Murgia about why social media companies need to bear more of the cost for the poisonous content they host on their platforms.

Clip: C-SPAN

Want to read more?

A tale of two Facebook whistleblowers

Big Tech makes concessions on EU’s new anti-disinformation code

EU approves groundbreaking rules to police Big Tech platforms

Civil society must be part of the Digital Services Act

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design by Breen Turner

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Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been working hard to help open up an export route for Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea. But as he wins plaudits for this key mediating role, his nation is struggling with soaring inflation and a cost of living crisis. Andrew England, standing in for Gideon, talks to Asli Aydıntaşbaş of the European Council on Foreign Relations and Laura Pitel, the FT's Turkey correspondent, about what’s motivating Erdoğan.

Want to read more?

Erdoğan is an infuriating but indispensable ally

Ukraine grain deal and Syria top agenda for Putin’s talks with Iran and Turkey

Fruit becomes a luxury in Erdoğan’s Turkey as inflation threatens re-election bid

Ukraine warns that only lifting Black Sea blockade can avert global food crisis

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design by Breen Turner

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Alexander Gabuev, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, tells Gideon why he believes Russia is destined to become a giant Iran of Eurasia. It will remain a significant military power, but one that is increasingly under the sway of China, the main destination for its energy exports.

Clips: DW; Global News

More on this topic:

Iran plans to provide drones to Russia for Ukraine war, says US

Putin warns of ‘catastrophic’ energy crisis if west boosts sanctions

China’s image loses its shine in Europe

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner

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Gideon talks to Kersti Kaljulaid, former president of Estonia, about the policy failures that led to the war in Ukraine. A weak response to Russia’s invasion of Georgia and Crimea gave Vladimir Putin the green light. Now the strength of Ukrainian resistance is giving the west another chance to "put its house in order".

Clips: Sky News, AP

More on this topic:

Europe’s new defence bloc: Nordics and Baltics unite in face of Russian threat

Estonia’s PM says country would be ‘wiped from map’ under existing Nato plans

War in Ukraine: will the Baltics become the ‘new West Berlin’?

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen

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