UndeRated

From the 23 to the 26 of May, the citizens of 28 (most likely 27... ) countries will vote in the largest transnational elections in the world. Over 700 members will be elected to the European Parliament and Bruzzels is buzzing with excitement. But what exactly is the European Parliament and what role does it play in the EU? With so much at stake, why has voter turnout plunged over the past four decades? What are the political groups? Are there any newbies in the race? Stick around and let Victor, Harpa and Anna walk you through the maze of EU politics (we can’t promise you’ll find the exit, though…).

Not all that glitters is gold and not all gold shines bright. Rosie Birchard helps us examine the dark glow of the EU golden visas and passports, as well as the risks and ethical questions that arise from the murky business of selling and buying EU citizenship.

Ever since the World Wide Web gave us all access to the Internet, it has fundamentally changed our communications, businesses, services and even politics. Now, policies are trying to catch up, and the Internet as we know it may be about to change for good. The European Union’s Parliament has approved a new legislation to address copyright issues in the digital era. We interview the man pushing for this regulation to kick in. MEP Axel Voss helps us untangle the reasons, the ambition and the challenges of trying to regulate the Internet. Are these measures a threat to freedom of speech online or a necessary intervention to level the playing field for copyright holders?

Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (fYROM) have for decades clashed over nine letters: M-A-C-E-D-O-N-I-A. The conflict isn’t new, but the solution is. Last June, the two nations signed an agreement that officially changes fYROM’s name to the "Republic of North Macedonia". But why did the country have to change its name in the first place? What exactly is Macedonia? Why is this happening now? And, what are the implications of the agreement being ratified by the two nations? Tune in and we will try to untangle this complex, messy situation for you.

Get ready for season 2 of UndeRated. Stay tuned. And see you in October!

Think tanks do more than just thinking. They also promote ideas, craft policies and advocate for change. But as anything human-made, they are not exempt from criticism. Can we trust their research? How impactful is it in real life? Are think tanks truly independent? And, more importantly, do we really need them or are they a luxury good we can actually spare?

Tune in to UndeRated and join Matt Dann (@mattdannbrussel) in discussing what think tanks are, where they come from and where they heading to. After 12 years working at Bruegel, he knows a thing or two about it.

As our modern societies become increasingly complex and interconnected, metrics have become a guiding light for those trying to steer policy development in the right direction. But can our metrics sometimes lead us astray? Is measuring corruption trickier than it seems? Is it risky business to pray to the god of metrics - the GDP?

We dig into some of the hidden dangers of taking some of our most well-known metrics at face value.

Have you ever wondered why humans do sport? Why do we watch others compete? And why on earth would we invest time, blood, sweat, tears and toil (and money, lots of money) in hopes of lifting a trophy that says "I can kick a ball better than you"? Tune in to UndeRated's latest episode and find out why sports are simply irresistible!

A shot of Tequila - mix it with some salt and lemon - and you have the recipe for a wild night you will most likely not remember! We guess you are nodding your head right now, but is this notion accurate? Well, we took to the streets of Brussels to test this theory and of course UndeRated would not be UndeRated if we did not try to look beyond the obvious when it comes to this notorious spirit!

Victor, a true Tequila enthusiast, enlightens Harpa and Alex about the old and rich culture of Mexico’s national drink. We also touch upon the various myths of Tequila, the production process, its even more underrated brother “Mezcal” and compare the drinking patterns of Mexicans with the Russians and some of the European drinking champions out there that seem to think everyday of the week deserves a toast!

Tinder. One simple word, so many complexities!

Tinder has ushered in a new era in the world of dating. All the single (or not) ladies and lads can now find each other more efficiently than ever before and start their happily-ever-after, thanks to modern technology and a little dating app that is making big waves!

Tune in a listen to two non-Tinder users, Harpa and Alex, try to understand the mechanics behind Tinder and the rules of the game with the help of two experienced Tinder jedi-masters, Portal and Victor. We also address all the questions we know y'all wanna ask: Is Tinder bringing us true joy? Is it shaping us more than we would like to think? In the world of Tinder, is it better to be a man or a woman?

Portal and Victor hold nothing back when trying to answer these cheeky questions and more ...

This episode was produced by Lisa Vallese.