European Liberal Forum

What does Kosovo's path to the EU look like? What should we know about Kosovo's struggle for independence? What geopolitical tensions should we be aware of in the Western Balkans? And what is the situation of the Kosovar in Warsaw, Poland? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Ambassador Drilon S. Gashi, the Chief of Mission of the Consulate General of the Republic of Kosovo in Warsaw since December 2023. He has stood up Kosovo’s Consulate General as his country’s first-ever Diplomatic/Consular Mission in Poland, with himself as the Kosovo’s first-ever resident top diplomat in the country. Tune in for their talk! This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.

What is the current political climate in Georgia? How can civic memory shape a nation’s democratic resilience? And why is political literacy more important than ever in countries on democracy’s frontlines? In this episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social) welcomes Zaza Bibilashvili, founder and Chairman of the Chavchavadze Center in Georgia. They dive into the challenges facing Georgian democracy and explore how initiatives like the New Iveria publication are working to inform, educate, and empower citizens through history, civic awareness, and principled liberal values. This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.

Who are the challengers to the European mainstream? What are the issues that unite and divide the challengers of the European project? And what can we learn from the Italian case and Giorgia Meloni? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Teresa Coratella, the Deputy Head of the Rome office at the European Council on Foreign Relations’ (ECFR) Rome office. Tune in for their talk! Read the report: https://ecfr.eu/publication/rise-to-the-challengers-europes-populist-parties-and-its-foreign-policy-future/ This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.

What made the U.S. a beacon for global science — and why is that now at risk? How has the Trump-era anti-science rhetoric damaged institutions of higher education and public trust? And can the EU’s Choose Europe for Science initiative fill the gap left behind? In this episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social) welcomes journalist and author Robert Whitaker, publisher of madinamerica.com. They discuss the decline of scientific leadership in the United States, the political pressures undermining academic freedom, and how the European Union can rise as a global hub for research and innovation. Whitaker also shares insights on the state of psychiatric research and the dangers of false scientific narratives. This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.

Why has the Portuguese politics become volatile and fragmented? What should we know about the Portuguese politicians and their conflicts of interest? How to address the problem of the Chega party and the rise of populism in Portugal? And what is the current status of the relations between Portugal and the EU? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Ricardo Silvestre, an author and a political scientist who is an Associate Fellow at the European Liberal Forum (ELF). Tune in for their talk! This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.

What does growing Chinese (and Russian) influence mean for South America’s political and economic future? How are governments in the region responding to pressure from Beijing? And what role do tools like the Confucius Institutes and media influence play in shaping public opinion? Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social) welcomes Marcos Falcone, Research Fellow at Fundación Libertad, and an Associate Professor at Universidad del CEMA. They talk about how authoritarian regimes are extending their reach in Latin America. Tune in for a conversation that uncovers the influence of China, but also of Russia, in South America, both at the economic, political, and societal level.  This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.

What are the main Iranian actors and their options in the conflict with Israel? Are negotiations possible? What is the legitimacy of the regime and the potential for change from within the Iranian society? And can Eastern Europe serve as an inspiration for the Iranian reformists? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Dr. Walter Posch, a trained orientalist who works as a Middle East expert at the Institute for Peacekeeping and Conflict Management at the National Defence Academy in Vienna. Tune in for their talk! Find out more: https://www.bmlv.gv.at/pdf_pool/publikationen/book_the_iranian_security_apparatus_posch_web.pdf This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.

What role should nuclear energy play in Europe's transition to a cleaner, more secure energy future? As the continent works to meet its climate goals while navigating rising energy demands and geopolitical instability, nuclear is once again part of the conversation. In this episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social) speaks with Manuel Fernández Ordóñez, Director of the Peter Huber Institute for Energy Research at Universidad de las Hespérides and author on nuclear energy policy. Together, they dive into the potential of nuclear in the energy mix, address safety concerns, and explore new technologies reshaping the sector. This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.

What is the role of human rights advocacy in a full-scale Russian war in Ukraine? What part do Europeans play in this struggle? And how to fight the growing sense of indifference? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Oleksandra Matviichuk, a human rights defender who works on issues in Ukraine and the OSCE region. She heads the human rights organization Center for Civil Liberties, which was awarded the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize. Tune in for their talk! This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.

How do we build a European budget that’s fit for the future? In this episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social) sits down with Lukas Sustala, Political Director of NEOS and head of the NEOS Lab think tank, to dive into the ELF-NEOS Lab publication “Future-proofing the European Budget.” Together, they explore how the EU budget has evolved, what’s holding it back, and what reforms are essential as we look toward the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework. This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.

Could the AFD party come to power in Germany? What would it mean for the German democracy and Europe? Why is the current historical narrative of the Bundesrepublik becoming useless? And what will be the identity of Germany in the future? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Klaus Bachmann, Professor of Political Science at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (SWPS) in Warsaw, Poland. He is a political scientist and a historian, who specializes in issues of European integration, transitional justice, recent history of Central and Eastern Europe, and totalitarian movements. Tune in for their talk! This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.

How does Turkey navigate its strategic balancing act between Russia and the EU? Turkey stands at a geopolitical crossroads between Moscow’s influence, Brussels’ expectations, and its own shifting ambitions. In this episode, we dive into how Turkey manages its complex relationships with both Russia and the European Union, what “strategic autonomy” really means, and how domestic politics play into global positioning. To unpack this complex dynamic, Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social) is joined by Elif Menderes, Program Manager at the Friedrich Naumann Foundation and a specialist in political communication. They discuss her chapter in the ELF publication Towards a New Iron Curtain, titled 'Türkiye's Perspective on the Resurgence of the Iron Curtain: Balancing Relations with Russia and the European Union'.  This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.

What does the forthcoming presidential election in Poland mean for Europe? What are the main issues and divisions between the candidates that occur in the ongoing campaign? And how will the election result influence the current government and its policy? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Adam Jasser, an economic and political analyst with 30 years of professional experience as a journalist, an editor, and a policymaker. He is currently the Deputy Director at TVP World, a leading English-language news channel in Central Eastern Europe, and the host of 'On the Record', a current affairs show. Tune in for their talk! This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.

Why are voters turning to radical populists, even when their promises threaten the very foundations of democracy? In this episode, Juan Pina, Secretary General of the Foundation for the Advancement of Liberty, dives deep into the rise of radical populism. He explains why this isn’t just a fringe movement but a fundamental challenge to democratic norms, fuelled by powerful external influences and shifting cultural identities. This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.

Why are students protesting in Serbia? What are the social and political reasons for the upheaval? What is the state of the Serbian democracy? Is the European Union choosing interests over values? And should we fear the recent geopolitical tensions in the Balkans? Leszek Jazdzewski (Fundacja Liberte!) talks with Ivan Vejvoda, Permanent fellow at the IWM. Ivan is the head of Europe’s Futures program and a host of Vienna Coffee House Conversations. He was the Senior Vice President for Programs at the German Marshall Fund (GMF) of the United States, Executive Director of GMF’s Balkan Trust for Democracy, and in the Serbian government as a senior advisor on foreign policy and European integration to Prime Ministers Zoran Djindjic and Zoran Zivkovic. Prior to that, he served as Executive Director of the Belgrade-based Fund for an Open Society from 1998 to 2002. He was a key figure in the democratic opposition movement in Yugoslavia during the 1990s, and has published widely on the subjects of democratic transition, totalitarianism, and post-war reconstruction in the Balkans. Tune in for their talk! Find out more about the guest: https://www.iwm.at/fellow/ivan-vejvoda Listen to the episode of the Vienna Coffee House Conversations with Ivan Vejvoda and Leszek Jazdzewski https://www.iwm.at/europes-futures/publication/defense-of-democracy-in-central-europe-and-the-us This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of.