This week, our Beyond the Byline podcast focuses on why the Eurovision Song Contest has become so politicised and whether this year's event is a good reflection of current European affairs.

Who are the traditional allies that we will see supporting each other during the big final, which countries are not participating, and what political messages are conveyed with the songs?

To break down the politics of Eurovision, I’m joined by two special guests from EURACTIV’s editorial team- Gerardo Fortuna, who is in Turin for the big final and Vlad Maksimov, who has a good understanding of the European song contest and the politics behind it.

We are also talking about the vision of French President Emmanuel Macron, for a “European Political Community”. Is this new community a shortcut on the road to full EU membership or maybe just a waiting room? What can we expect from it, and why is it important for the EU? To hear more on this, I spoke with Senior Editor Oliver Noyan.