Today in the EU

Germany’s political groups officially kicked off their campaign trail after Chancellor Scholz lost a no-confidence vote on Tuesday (17 December). With a snap election now set for February, the race is well underway. From their manifestos, both the SPD (S&D) and CDU/CSU (EPP) appear to be carefully calibrating their messaging on key voter concerns – such as aid to Ukraine, economic policy, and migration. Their goal? To win over voters without shutting the door on future coalition deals. But which alliances stand a real chance, and what is the strategy behind the catchy slogans? In this episode, host Giada Santana teams up with Euractiv’s Berlin-based reporters, Nick Alipour and Jasper Steinlein, to unpack how the CDU/CSU and SPD are branding themselves and the strategies driving their campaigns.

François Bayrou's appointment as France's new prime minister is the latest in a series of questionable political moves Emmanuel Macron has made since June, which have increasingly put the president in a vulnerable position. Outmanoeuvred by his long-time ally Bayrou, who used his political leverage to secure the job, Macron now faces a public growing all the more sceptical of his leadership. The new French prime minister, however, appears ready to move past party lines to guarantee the government’s survival. What cards is Bayrou prepared to play to lock in his power? In this episode, host Giada Santana speaks with Paris-based politics reporter Théo Bourgery-Gonse to discuss how Bayrou outplayed Macron and what this means for the French government’s future.

The European Parliament will elect the new EU Ombudsman on Tuesday (17 December) to replace Emily O'Reilly, with her successor set to inherit her impressive legacy.In a sit-down interview with Giada Santana, O’Reilly reflected on her time in office, the current political climate, and her landmark inquiry into Frontex. 

Estonia, a leader in digital governance, is known for remote internet voting, online public services, and digital IDs, earning recognition as the world’s second most digitalized government, according to the United Nations. But its technological advancements have made it a target for cyber interference from Moscow as geopolitical tensions move online.“The propaganda budget for Russia is bigger than the whole Estonian state budget,” said Estonia’s Digital Minister Liisa Pakosta to Euractiv. “It’s a hybrid war between the autocratic and democratic world," the minister added.The Baltic state shares a 294-kilometre border with Russia and is home to a 300,000-strong Russian-speaking minority, factors that increase its exposure to Kremlin-linked hybrid warfare. How has Estonia built its tech-driven society, and how is it helping its neighbours fend off digital threats?In this episode, host Giada Santana is joined by Estonia's Justice and Digital Affairs Minister Liisa Pakosta to discuss Estonia's digital transformation and the challenges of securing a fully digital state in an era of escalating cyber warfare.