Coffee Talk Politics

CTP is now into its 50th episode and to mark this occasion, we're taking on China and its Project of the Century.  To help me understand what is happening with China, especially after the release of the Human Rights Watch Report "Crimes Against Humanity in Xinjiang," I asked  Reid Standish, editor of China in Eurasia (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) and Prof Scott Lucas (EA Worldview) to come on and we hope you'll enjoy the convo about  how China is moving across the world in their effort to gain great power status. Reid is an expert on China, Central Asia, the Caucasus and has had experience in Moscow as well. He and Scott help us understand how the Chinese regime maintains its power and influence at home as well as abroad. What's the Belt and Road Initiative Belt and what are China's relations with international powers such as Russia and South East Asia as well as Europe. Many thanks to CTP's senior researcher Davide Cortese without whom I wouldn't be able to get prepped for the chats. I hope you enjoy it and thanks for listening,Mo

Grab a coffee and get really comfortable for this absolutely fascinating account of Putin and his regime. I'm chatting with Prof Mark Galeotti takes us through various aspects of Putin's regime, his thinking and how he conducts his affairs. How do the Russians view him? What are his designs on the West? Spy stories, anecdotes on various key players in Putin's inner circle and much more.  Jacopo Iacoboni, investigative journalist at La Stampa, reveals new info on Russian designs and operations in Italy under the Conte 1 & 2 governments. Prof Galeotti is the director of the consultancy firm Mayak Intelligence and his curriculum denotes his life long experience in the field. His book - We need to talk about Putin: How the West gets him wrong- is gripping and gives us deep understanding of Putin and the regime. Please check out his website - In Moscow's Shadows- for his articles and podcast. My warmest thanks to CTP's senior researcher Davide Cortese and Bensound for the pod music. We sincerely hope you enjoy the episode!Thanks for listening,MoDownload the episode

Grab a coffee and listen in on my chat with the Hon Carlo Calenda, founder of the Italian party Azione. He was Minister of Economic Development in the Renze and Gentiloni governments, the Italian Representative at the EU and now an MEP at the European Parliament. Based on his experience and what he's seeing today, Hon Calenda has been very vocal against the populist wave in Italian politics. He wrote about what ails Italy in his books- Monsters and How to Defeat Them & Savage Horizons. It turns out these 'monsters' aren't just present in Italy- they represent what must be addressed in our modern democracies.We also talked about the EU and its relations with China, Russia and Canada and what needs to happen in the EU for it to be a strong partner in the Transatlantic relationship. Many thanks to CTP's senior researcher Davide Cortese who provided much needed help in the preparation of the pod. We really hope you enjoy the pod and thanks for listening!Monique

Grab a coffee! I'm chatting with Dave Troy on the armed assault on the Capitol, and it's absolutely fascinating.Who were the key figures implicated and connected to Jan 6th and what motivated them?  Listen in as Dave shares his knowledge on the cultural, geo-political and economic underpinnings surrounding the Insurrection of Jan 6th. We also dive into various historical events linked to the murkey world of intelligence operations from World War 2 to the present. There's still so much that needs to be investigated, but this is definitely a start.Many thanks to CTP's senior researcher Davide Cortese for all his help in preparation for this pod and to Bensound for the background music.Thanks for listening!Mo

Grab a coffee or get those trainers on!This is a great listen: my chat with Prof Scott Lucas of EA Worldview & Deep Dive Politics- World Unfiltered pods. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken gave a speech on the direction and objectives of American foreign policy and Scott and I look to see how this could possibly play out on the ground. Our discussion is divided into two parts. Part 1 Scott provides an overall mapping of the document at first and then looks at possible avenues of action in terms of Iran and the Middle East as opposed to US foreign policy in these areas in the past.In Part 2, Scott and I discuss the same but with a view to Russia, in light of the recent sanctions levelled at Russian officials and entities and what the document is saying for US relations with China. In the end, we also chat about CPAC or T-PAC. Heartfelt thanks to Scott for taking time from his busy schedule to chat with us and Davide Cortese, CTP senior researcher for all his help on analysis for the pod. To you all...my warm thanks for listening in every week,Mops...If you're looking for a fab place to get away once you can, please check out our friends' place right here in gorgeous Tuscan hillside- The Lazy Olive.  I can't wait to be able to visit Malcolm & Daniela and just enjoy their company & a great glass of wine. 

Grab a coffee or get those trainers on!This is a great listen: my chat with Prof Scott Lucas of EA Worldview & Deep Dive Politics- World Unfiltered pods.Secretary of State Anthony Blinken gave a speech on the direction and objectives of American foreign policy and Scott and I look to see how this could possibly play out on the ground.Our discussion is divided into two parts. Part 1 Scott provides an overall mapping of the document at first and then looks at possible avenues of action in terms of Iran and the Middle East as opposed to US foreign policy in these areas in the past.In Part 2, Scott and I discuss the same but with a view to Russia, in light of the recent sanctions levelled at Russian officials and entities and what the document is saying for US relations with China. In the end, we also chat about CPAC or T-PAC.Heartfelt thanks to Scott for taking time from his busy schedule to chat with us and Davide Cortese, CTP senior researcher for all his help on analysis for the pod.To you all...my warm thanks for listening in every week,Mops...If you're looking for a fab place to get away once you can, please check out our friends' place right here in gorgeous Tuscan hillside- The Lazy Olive.  I can't wait to be able to visit Malcolm & Daniela and just enjoy their company & a great glass of wine. 

You won't want to miss this! What a pleasure it was to speak with MEP Sophie in't Veld of the Renew Europe Group on her ideas of addressing imbalances in the EU, but she doesn't stop there: we touch on foreign relations and the importance of giving the EU the tools it needs to be a geo-political force in the world. MEP in't Veld is passionate about her love for the EU, the European project and of its history. She brought up issues that I hadn't ever taken into consideration. She said at a certain point: 'We can do this!' So find out why.You can check out CTP Notes for some extra information about this pod. Many thanks to the CTP team- Davide and Rebecca- for helping me put this pod together and to Bensound for the music in the background.Thanks for listening!

Grab a coffee!Listen in on my chat with Prof Ruth Ben-Ghiat on her fabulous book, 'Strongmen: How they rise, How they succeed, How they fail.' Based on her  studies spanning 100 years authoritarianism around the world and Italian Fascism, authoritarianism & propaganda, Prof Ben-Ghiat could see the signs of authoritarianism in Trump. While we all thought he would become 'presidential', she was warning Americans on where he was taking the US.Our talk goes deep into the characteristics of the authoritarian Strongman: his strengths and weaknesses and final objectives of violence and subjugation. Listen in to find out what's up next for Trump and the GOP.  Check out CTP Notes dedicated to Strongmen on Substack for extra info.Thank yous to Davide and Rebecca for their help on putting the pod together, and to Bensound for the music in the background.Warm thanks for listening!Mo

Grab a drink for this one! It's hot!!!  I'm thrilled to be talking with Olga Lautman, expert on Russia, Ukraine & Eastern Europe, on Russian influence in the States and Europe, and what the imprisonment of Navalny means to Putin and his power. It's a super intriguing chat: we weave our way through the current GOP, Putin, his tactics & objectives as well as how much he has been impactful on Trump, America and the UK. Olga also gives us an assessment of what is happening inside Russia today and how Covid has impacted Putin and why citizens have taken to the streets in protest.My thanks for Olga for coming on and giving us her expert insights, and Davide & Rebecca for helping me prepare for the chat.Many thanks to Bensound for the musical background.For more background info on the pod, please read CTP Notes: they'll take you through all the issues discussed in the pod.Thanks for listening!Mo

Grab a coffee! It's time to relax with my chat with Pierpaolo from Chicago. We hash out the Trump's Second Impeachment Trial and some of the consequences of not having convicted Trump, and what may happen in the future with the GOP. We're both livid, so listener beware. Pierpaolo also tells us what a bad boy he's been that Twitter had to put him in jail. He's still a bit mystery about it.A huge round of applause for CTP's Senior researcher Davide Cortese and a warm welcome to CTP's new Junior researcher Rebecca Bello.Thanks to Bensound for the music.As always...my warmest thank you for listening!Mo

Grab a coffee! Time to take notes!I'm thrilled to be talking with Marco Cappato, Director of the Luca Coscioni Association, on the basics of democracy, the tools that are available to us, and his views on a number of other issues, including how we should be facing future challenges through an international effort. Check out the Luca Coscioni Association website for more information on the battles Marco and his team are carrying forward, And have a look at EUMANS, the European citizens' movement for sustainability and democracy launched by Marco. Also check out CTP Notes edition covering this podcast and my talk with Uriel Epshtein and Samantha Kutner. This is a 3-part series looking at various aspects of democracy: the tools of democracy as citizens, but also what happens when democracy breaks down. Particular thanks to Davide Cortese, CTP's senior research on information about Marco Cappato and to Bensound for the background music.Thanks for listening!Mo

Grab a coffee!Getting into the Indy Ref with MP Alyn Smith! Why is the SNP leading in the polls? What does the a second indy ref mean for Scotland and its place in the world? Also, the origins of Brexit, good governance, his experience as an EU MEP, and the future challenges of climate chaos.  An absolutely riveting chat!For some background information on MP Alyn and the issues surrounding independence for Scotland, have a look at CTP Notes on SubstackMany thanks to Davide Cortese, CTP's senior researcher and to Bensound for the musical accompaniment. Feel free to comment on Twitter @MoniqueCamarra or write to us:coffeetalkpolitics@gmail.com

Grab a coffee! It's time to talk about the populist wave with Prof Daniele Albertazzi at the University of Birmingham, director of the Populism in Action  Project. We'll be covering it all: what distinguishes populist parties from mainstream parties, how do populists attract voters, and why are mainstream parties losing ground. Is populism really here to stay?Many thanks to Davide Cortese, senior researcher,. Many thanks to Bensound for the musical accompaniment.Feel free to subscribe to CTP Notes on Substack : Is populism here to stay? Leave a comment on Twitter @MoniqueCamarra,  DMs are open, or at our email:coffeetalkpolitics@gmail.comThanks for tuning in!Mo

Hold on to your seats! I'm chatting with Brent Allpress about his past investigations for the doc 'People You May Know' and his current investigations into the post-election period to the Jan 6 insurrection. Who was involved? And who was involved behind the scenes? Absolutely incredible!Revealing information on the Council for National Policy and its impact on key moments of the Trump Presidency right up to Jan 6th. and a look at some new findings from the murky world of the influence industry. You'll find some background info into today pod at CTP Notes:https://moniquecamarra.substack.com/p/investigating-the-coupA special shout out and thanks  to CTP's senior researcher, Davide Cortese.Thanks to Bensound for the musical accompaniment. Don't be shy! Feel free to comment @MoniqueCamarra on  Twitter or write to us:coffeetalkpolitics@gmail.comThanks for listening,Mo

Grab a coffee and get ready as I take the deep dive with Dr Emma Briant into the dark world of the global influence industry. Are we doing enough to address the power of the industry? What is its impact? Dr Briant has been investigating the network of companies that make up the influence industry since well before the Cambridge Analytica scandal and continues to dig into its reach today. Her work and testimony has been fundamental to investigations in the US and the UK and formed the basis of the Emmy-Nominated documentary 'The Great Hack;'  While Brent Allpress was the chief investigator, Dr Briant collaborated on the documentary 'People You May Know' (directors Katharina Gellein Viken & Dr Charles Kriel), a shocking investigation into how apps were used to gather information from Christian communities in order to target persuadable voters for the Trump 2020 and GOP campaigns. She offers suggestions on how we can deal with the influence industry: the way forward involves policy-makers and citizens in an effort to protect our democratic states. For some extra info on Dr Briant and her work, have a look at CTP Notes: https://moniquecamarra.substack.com/p/ca-propaganda-op-dirty-oilMany thanks to Davide Cortese, senior researcher at CTP!CTP thanks Bensound for the musical accompaniment. 

Grab a coffee and let's welcome Pierpaolo back on the pod. Listen in as we unpack what is on everyone's mind: what it an organised attempted coup? What will be the consequences? We'll also be looking at the articles of impeachment and what they refer to. What evidence can Congress bring to the case?Thanks to Davide Cortese, senior researcher, for all his help and forensic analysis.Thanks to Bensound for the show music. Please subscribe to our CTP Notes: you'll find extra info on the issues we face in the pod.https://moniquecamarra.substack.com/p/georgia-latest-senate-showdownIt's always a pleasure to hear from you: don't be shy! Contact me @MoniqueCamarra on Twitter, on CTP Notes comment section, and at our email: coffeetalkpolitics@gmail.com

Grab a coffee! This is a hot episode in conversation with Prof Scott Lucas as we take the deep dive into the events in Washington DC, the Attempted Coup, fallout and reflections on the new EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Lots to chew on here. Don't forget to check out Prof Lucas's EA Worldview on all the latest about international affairs. NEW: CTP Notes! please subscribe to the new notes on the podcast for extra information on the podcast topics.  It's free and informative..https://moniquecamarra.substack.com/Cheers for now!

Grab a coffee and listen in to a super-packed episode with Prof Scott Lucas (Uni Birmingham, EA Worldview) as we chat about Brexit, future challenges and hotspots, and we even threw in Trump's failures in domestic and foreign policy because we were having so much fun. What should the US and EU do in terms of the challenges posed by Putin, Erdogan and Xi? What's going on inside Iran? What has Trump left behind as he leaves the White House? Many thanks to Davide Cortese for all the research he brought to this episode and to Bensound for the musical accompaniment. For suggestions, comments and questions: coffeetalkpolitics@gmail.com

Grab a coffee and listen in as the Hon Lia Quartapelle and I chat about the fight for free and fair elections in Belarus, her views on Trump's White House, future challenges in foreign policy, the EU Magnitsky Act and regaining trust in politics. Hon Quartapelle is an MP in the Chamber of Deputies in Italy where she represents her party on the Foreign Affairs Committee, and she is also active in at the European Commission on various committees dedicated to foreign policy and human rights.Senior Researcher: Davide CorteseWe'd love to hear from you with your comments, suggestions and questions at:coffeetalkpolitics@gmail.com

Grab a coffee and get ready for an in-depth look at the radical right with Professor Anne Nelson as we talk about her investigative work, Shadow Network: Media, Money and the Secret Hub of the Radical Right.  If you know nothing about this, you should; it's a world that is rarely talked about publically and the Shadow Network wants to keep it that way. We also touch on: Trump's administration, the Covid crisis, the new Biden administration, Anne's up-coming projects and a little surprise.Make sure you see, 'People You May Know ' as well (Dr Kriel, Anne Nelson, and senior researcher Dr Emma Briant).Contact us with suggestions, questions and comments at: coffeetalkpolitics@gmail.comCheck out the show notes on all bibliographical refs and many thanks to senior researcher for some great finds. Senior Researcher: Davide CorteseMany thanks to Bensound for the musical accompaniment.