FEPS Talks

Europe is facing a growing mental health crisis. From digital overload to workplace burnout and addiction, too many people are struggling to stay healthy in systems that make them ill. In this episode of FEPS Talks, François Balate, FEPS Policy Analyst on Social Affairs, sits down with three leading experts: Sara Bojarczuk (University of Warsaw), Aida Bikic (University of Southern Denmark) and Jana Michailidu (University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague), co-authors of the FEPS Policy Brief "Healthy Minds, Stronger Europe"

🇮🇪 Delivery Matters More Than Promises In this episode of the Progressive Pollsters FEPS Talks series, Kevin Cunningham, MD and founder of Ireland Thinks, joins Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training, to reflect on the evolving dynamics of Irish politics — from shifting trust in institutions to the lessons progressives can draw from Ireland’s distinctive landscape. 🗳️ Cunningham explains how delivery, rather than rhetoric, shaped voter confidence during the cost-of-living crisis — and why Ireland’s absence of a strong radical right sets it apart. Yet, he also highlights the warning signs: growing frustration among younger voters, deep divides in housing and migration debat...

Why are so many Europeans angry at politics today? Listen to the latest episode in the Progressive Pollsters FEPS Talks series with Bruno Jeanbart, Vice President of OpinionWay! From frustration with “broken” political systems to fears around identity and immigration, we look at why dissatisfaction dominates — and what that means for progressive movements. Are people really losing hope? Or can social democrats reconnect by addressing the basics: education, housing, welfare? 🌹 In the run-up to PES Congress in Amsterdam Progressive Mobilisation, the Next Left Progressive Pollsters series highlights the ongoing work of the FEPS-Karl-Renner-Institut's Progressive Pollsters network, which brings together leading pollsters...

Prof. Stephen Bronner has been leading an international network of scholars and experts to study dialogue and diplomacy in the world, with a particular focus on peace negotiations, in theory as well as practice. In this interview he presents his views on the Russo-Ukrainian war, but also on Israel and Palestine. He offers his assessment of the impact of the Alaska summit on the diplomacy surrounding the war in Ukraine, and elaborates on some concrete steps that could be made to bring the positions of the two sides closer to each other. He also connects the concept of peace with...

Discover the new podcast series "Progressive Pollsters". The second episode with Kaisa Vatanen focusing on the electoral prospects of European social democracy! 📺🔊 Available on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcast Over the course of four episodes, FEPS Director of Research and Training Ania Skrzypek, delves into topics including elections, populism, cost-of-living, housing, and more, with: ➡️ Marcin Duma, CEO of IBRIS, Poland ➡️ Kaisa Vatanen, Chief Officer, Datapraxis. ➡️ Bruno Jeanbart, Vice President, Opinion Way, France ➡️ Kevin Cunningham, MD and founder, Ireland Thinks All speakers are part of the Progressive Pollsters network, which brings together leading pollsters and political analysts to discuss and reflect on key political and soci...

Prof. James K. Galbraith shares his views about the dramatic changes in US politics and policy which we experienced in the past year. Europeans are still struggling to understand what produced Donald Trump and how consequential his second term in the White House can be. In the conversation with FEPS Secretary General László Andor, he explores both internal and external factors driving the political changes of our time, which also are reshaping transatlantic relations. Is Trump a conservative who is nostalgic for the 1950s or the 1920s? Or he is responding, in his own way, to contemporary challenges which Eu...

Discover the new podcast series "Progressive Pollsters". The first episode with Marcin Duma focusing on the far right is already available!

📺🔊 Available on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcast

Over the course of four episodes, FEPS Director of Research and Training Ania Skrzypek, delves into topics including elections, populism, cost-of-living, housing, and more, with:

➡️ Marcin Duma, CEO of IBRIS, Poland ➡️ Kaisa Vatanen, Chief Officer, Datapraxis. ➡️ Bruno Jeanbart, Vice President, Opinion Way, France ➡️ Kevin Cunningham, MD and founder, Ireland Thinks

All speakers are part of the Progressive Pollsters network, which brings together leading pollsters and political analysts...

We are often told that inflation “happens”, as if it is an unstoppable natural phenomenon. However, a new FEPS study shows that the inflation we experienced in 2021-2023 was largely caused by profiteering and speculation. 📺🔊 Available on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcast In this FEPS Talks episode, Ainara Bascuñana, FEPS Head of Communication discuss with the authors of 'The profit-price spiral in food and energy' Ben Tippet, Lecturer at King’s College London and Anna Kolesnichenko, FEPS Economic Policy Analyst. The discussion exposes the monopolistic structures within the food and energy sectors, where a handful of companies control global supply chains and ma...

In this episode of FEPS Talks, Secretary General László Andor talks with the former prime minister of Greece, George Papandreou, who in recent years has been focusing on questions of democracy in the Council of Europe. The main concern today is democratic backsliding, and in 2025 the United States is also among countries where we can observe such dramatic.

According to Papandreou, the democratic questions are organically connected with the social ones, and the European Union itself also must address democratic deficits, especially what concerns economic governance. Looking back to the ancient Greek democratic legacy, Papandreou explores op...

📺🔊 Available on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcast 🇵🇸 “What about the 6th of October? What about the 5th? There was already occupation, siege, and no future.” As the war on Gaza continues, and while much of the international community remains inactive, Palestinians face mass displacement, starvation, and the systematic destruction of civilian life—from homes and schools to hospitals and water systems. In this FEPS Talks episode, we speak with Omar Shaban, economist, political analyst, and founder of the Gaza-based think tank PalThink for Strategic Studies, for a powerful and personal testimony on life under siege—and the broader political dynamics shaping the conflict. “20,00...

“We are discussing rearming, but Europe is a peace project and housing should be the first pillar”. In this episode of FEPS Talks, the Mayor of Athens Haris Doukas speaks with FEPS Policy Analyst François Balate on the housing crisis Europe is facing. Athens is one of the 15 European cities behind the "Mayors for Housing" Alliance, which is in Brussels this week to demand swift action from the EU on housing. On the ground, in cities like Athens, Barcelona and Rome, progressive mayors are already putting in place measures to make housing more accessible to their citizens. However, they canno...

📺🔊 Available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcast

Rethinking Security through Nuclear Disarmament with Florian Eblenkamp In this climate of militarisation and declining support for international law, some European countries are considering nuclear weapons a legitimate defence strategy, with calls even emerging for the development of a European nuclear programme.

We interview Florian Eblenkamp, Advocacy Officer at the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)—the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize-winning organisation—to discuss the differing positions of European countries, NATO, and the broader international debate on nuclear disarmament.

He demystifies the alleged military and deterrent effect of...

🔊📺 Available on Youtube, Spotify and Apple Podcast

Michelle O’Sullivan, Associate Professor at the University of Limerick, and member of FEPS Scientific Council, offers an assessment of recent developments in working conditions and industrial relations, including the successful crisis response to the Covid-19 pandemic. There are certainly fears that after a period of progress, Europe might be going backwards today, driven by the general intention to boost economic competitiveness.

Her country, Ireland definitely suffered a setback 15 years ago, at the time of the great financial crisis, and the consequences are still felt. When it comes to conte...

Peace keeping expert Prof. John Karlsrud (head of the international NAVIGATOR research project) comments on the current European discussion regarding the creation and maintanence of peace in Ukraine. He puts forward concrete ideas regarding the composition of peace keeping forces in Ukraine, and clarifies why the United Nations could not have been more instrumental during the last 3 years of war. Prof. Karlsrud is strongly in favour of EU enlargement, including to foster peace in the Western Balkans, and finally he also comments on the broader European institutional architecture, highlighting the significance of old organisations like the OSCE and new...

🔊📺 Available on Youtube, Spotify and Apple Podcast

Now that the transatlantic alliance has come under pressure with actions and statements of the Trump administration, it becomes ever more urgent to address the issue of the EU’s reliance on US tech for its essential digital infrastructure. 80% of our technology is provided by foreign actors.

That is why in this episode of FEPS Talks our guest Cecilia Rikap, Head of Research of the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP), is interviewed by digital policy analyst Gerard Rinse Oosterwijk on her report - Reclaiming digital sovereig...

📺🔊 Available on Youtube Spotify and Apple Podcast

As International Women’s Day 2025 approaches, feminist movements face mounting threats from rising authoritarianism and Big Tech’s growing role in shaping public discourse. In this episode, Laeticia Thissen (Senior Policy Analyst on Gender Equality, FEPS) speaks with Asha Allen (Director and Secretary General, Center for Democracy & Technology Europe) about the increasing censorship of feminist and LGBTQ+ advocacy by platforms like Meta and X, the rollback of diversity and inclusion commitments by major tech companies, and the growing wave of online gender-based violence.

They explore the role of the EU Dig...

📺🔊 Available on Youtube Spotify and Apple Podcast

In the latest episode, Vita Shnaider, a Ukrainian anthropologist and a researcher of housing policy, joins us to discuss how the country’s housing sector has been reshaped by a decade-long war and Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 in particular.

We dive into the policies affecting displaced populations, examine the gaps in long-term housing solutions, and explore progressive strategies to rebuild a more equitable system. From rent regulation to social housing, we dive into the challenges and opportunities for Ukraine’s current war effort and its post-war recovery.

🔊📺 Available on Youtube, Spotify and Apple Podcast

How can Europe achieve a unified industrial strategy that balances competitiveness with social and regional cohesion? In this episode, FEPS welcomes Lukas Bertram, economist at the ZOE Institute for Future-Fit Economies, to delve into the findings of the recent policy study "A Unified Industrial Strategy for the EU."

Together with FEPS Director of Studies and Policy David Rinaldi, Lukas explores what it means to be strategic in fostering industrial renewal and the pivotal role of the public sector. The podcast clarifies the interlinkages between concepts like industrial policy and st...

British economist and Professor Jonathan Portes (King’s College, London) explores how UK—EU relations have developed since the entry of the Labour government in July 2024. He explains that while regret among many is felt in Britain, not a single step of reintegration would be easy in the foreseeable future. There has been talk about some "low hanging fruits” (e.g. student mobility), but this also would require some political courage and concentration.

Nevertheless, the EU and the UK share some serious concerns like economic competiveness, on which they could work together. While the UK historically assumed to hav...

🔊📺 Available on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts

In this episode of FEPS Talks, Anne Van Lancker (President of SOLIDAR and former MEP from Belgium) speaks about the evolving social agenda of the EU. Civil society organisations united in SOLIDAR consider the European Pillar of Social Rights as a game changer and an inspiration for social policy action in the EU with further potential to generate improvements. Behind us is a “Golden Age” of social policy initiatives at EU level but now there is a lot to do for implementation. Furthermore, since recently a poverty reduction target was set, an up...

🔊📺 Available on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts

In this episode of FEPS Talk, Policy Analyst Matteo Dressler sits down with Dr. Gefjon Off to unpack emerging differences in the political attitudes and voting patterns of young men and women.

Drawing on Gefjon’s own research and insights from a rapidly evolving field, we explore whether young women are truly growing more progressive while young men gravitate to the right—and, if so, what these shifts mean for progressive policymakers as they chart a path forward.

🔊📺 Available on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts

In this episode of FEPS Talks, we sit down with Professor Eugenia Caracciolo di Torella to explore the transformative role of care in advancing gender equality. Drawing from her chapter in this new book initiated by FEPS and Fondation Jean Jaurès, "A New Gender Equality Contract for Europe," Eugenia sheds light on the challenges and opportunities of integrating care as a cornerstone of progressive policies.

From the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic to the potential of the EU Care Strategy, this conversation highlights why care is central to buil...

🔊📺 Available on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts

With just days until the US presidential election and the COP29 climate conference, the global response to climate change hangs in the balance. Rocked by pandemic, war and a cost-of-living crisis, the commitment of countries and citizens to ambitious climate policy is being tested as never before.

But the climate crisis has not gone away. In this episode, Stephen Minas, author of the FEPS Primer ‘Climate Progress in the EU and the World’, and Thomas Fröhlich, FEPS Policy Analyst on Climate, discuss international climate politics, what actually happens at...

🔊 Available on Spotify and Apple Podcast https://bit.ly/FEPSTalks157

In this episode of our podcast FEPS Talks, Gerard Rinse Oosterwijk, FEPS policy analyst on digital, interviews Ivana Bartoletti. She is the Global Chief Privacy & AI Governance Officer of Wipro and an executive Fellow at Pamplin Business School, Virginia Tech, and author of FEPS Primer Series book on 'A Digital Union based on European Values'. Ivana Bartoletti's work offers insight into how digital policy has been made at the EU level, the main tools used, the most important actors and the path forward.

In the pod...

🔊📺 Available on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts

In this episode of FEPS Talks, host Matteo Dressler, our Policy Analyst for democracy and participation, sits down with Sabrina Repp, the youngest member of the European Parliament representing the S&D Group. With a background in activism for Germany's Young Socialists (JUSOS), Sabrina brings a fresh and youthful perspective to European politics.

The conversation touches on her experience as a young MEP, as well as the recent elections in Eastern Germany, where the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) made significant gains. Sabrina provides insight into the politic...

🔊📺 Available on Spotify, Youtube and Apple Podcast

FEPS Head of Communications Ainara Bascuñana interviews Ottilia Maunganidze, lawyer and Head of Special Projects in the office of the Executive Director at the Institute of Security Studies, based in South Africa, and member of the Progressive Migration Group.

Following the Progressive Migration Group Conference on September 10, Ottilia discusses the New Pact on Migration and Asylum from the viewpoint of African countries and the pressing need to abandon the current stagnant and toxic narratives on migration that portray migration as a threat when it is a major driver...

Matthias Kollatz has been working on public finance in various positions: as Vice-President of the EIB in Luxembourg but then as Financial Senator of Berlin. Here he shares his views about what changes the great financial crisis of 2008-9 brought about, and how important it has been in a post-crisis model to elevate promotional banks into a more central role.

He acknowledges some important steps of this financial transition, like the Juncker Plan that was launched in 2014. However, he believes that the German debt break (Schuldenbremse) is a product of a time when the investment needs of...

🔊 Available on Spotify and Apple Podcast

Professor Iain Begg (European Institute, London School of Economics and Political Science) shares his views about two reports which have become key talking points in 2024 in EU circles: one written by Enrico Letta and another one authored by Mario Draghi. Though reports often fade away after they are published, the EU is bound to discuss the internal market as well as competitiveness to develop a coherent economic policy for the coming cycle.

According to Prof. Begg, a thorough analysis of the EU's finances (not just the conventional budget, but the...

🔊📺 Available on Spotify, Youtube and Apple Podcast

In this episode of FEPS Talks we welcome Sergei Stanishev, who is leaving the European Parliament after ten years. He summarises his insights gathered as a MEP, but also as the President of the Party of European Socialists, a position he held between 2011 and 2022.

He assesses the EP election outcome from a socialist perspective, and reflects on the evolution of EU social democratic politics over the recent decades. The conversation reaches out to topics including the Green Deal, migration, as well as the prospects of creating peace in Easter...

What is the Progressive strategy to succeed in 2024-2029?

This podcast was recorded just a few hours after the polling stations across the EU closed. It features Matthias Ecke, a returning Member of the European Parliament from SPD in Germany. Together with him, Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training, dives into the campaign's evaluation, analyses the outcomes and considers successful progressive strategies for the future. Jointly, they search for answers on how to halt the march of the right-wing radicals further and safeguard politics from aggression, but even more so, how to bring the attention of the...

FEPS Talks #149

🔊📺 Available on Spotify, Youtube and Apple Podcast

This episode of FEPS Talks features Joanna Maycock, an award-winning feminist campaigner and co-author of the policy study “Women Civil Society Organisation Leaders for systemic change.” Interviewed by Ainara Bascuñana, Head of Communications at FEPS, Joanna analyses how transformational feminist leadership is the key to addressing society's increasingly complex challenges and to a paradigm shift towards more sustainable, caring and inclusive societies.

They also delve into the study's findings, bringing to the forefront the data and remaining barriers female CSO leaders face in the workplace. The episode...

🔊📺 Available on Spotify, Youtube and Apple Podcast In this episode of FEPS Talks, MEP Agnes Jongerius, Head of the Dutch Delegation to the S&D Group, for which she’s also coordinator in the EMPL committee, looks back at the activities of this legislature to take stock of the achievements done on minimum wages and platform work.

She explains the relevance of representing workers’ interests within the European Parliament and stresses the work done with the progressive family at the European level, in collaboration with the EU Commissioner Schmit and PES, for which she leads the Social Europe Net...

🔊📺 Available on Spotify, Youtube and Apple Podcast

Inspired by the recent conference organised by the Belgian presidency of the EU Council on Social Europe, ETUC General Secretary Esther Lynch shares her assessment of the „La Hulpe declaration”, and expresses some regret for the lack of full support from the side of business. She offers a shortlist of the most important achievements of the current EU mandate, praising EU Commissioners Nicolas Schmit and Helena Dalli. She elaborates on the high risk of returning to an austerity focused macroeconomic policy in the EU, while the workers of Europe would need a new...

FEPS Talks 146

Professor Jonas Pontusson is sharing his views about the need for a “social democratic renewal”. There is no simple recipe for this, and one needs to research political economy as well as sociology for a proper assessment of the dynamics of progressive politics today. But the discussions on the decline of social democracy already started in the early 1990s, after which the rise of the “Third Way” created a feeling of revival for a while. In the long run, a most critical relationship is the one between social democracy and the working class. The assumption that the working...

FEPS Talks 145

Brexit is not an issue of the past but the present, and it remains with us for the foreseeable future. FEPS Secretary General László Andor discusses its causes and consequences with Professor Catherine Barnard (University of Cambridge, Trinity College). They agree that in 2016 the pro-Brexit side in reality voted against EU membership, but not for a clear vision of the UK outside of the EU, and the UK is still working out what it wants to be as a country and where. The animosity against the EU had developed over time and across political spectrums, not ju...

FEPS Talks #144

Professor Björn Hacker authored a book about Social Europe for the FEPS Primer Series. Secretary General László Andor interviews him about some key aspects of the book, and especially about the evolution of the paradigm. Key thinkers and political leaders like Willy Brandt, Jacques Delors and Maria Joao Rodrigues are mentioned during the conversation, which also elaborates on why the assessment of EU social policy must pay attention to economic governance at the same time.

A key part of this joint reflection focuses on the significance of the 2017 European Pillar of Social Rights, and...

In this episode of FEPS Talks, Professor Emerita Marguerite Mendell (Concordia University) shares some lessons from her long-term engagement with the development of the social economy in Quebec, but also her contribution to related discussions in Europe and various international organisations.

In her view, a number of European countries offer remarkable examples of social economy transitions and experiments, and also at European Union level there have been important initiatives to develop the necessary ecosystem. The question that remains nevertheless is how to assure implementation within member countries.

Going beyond a transatlantic comparison, she also mentions...

Teresa Ribera, Third Vice-President of the Spanish Government and Minister for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, receives the Progressive Person of the Year award from the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS) this Wednesday, January 24th, 2024.

Ribera is an outstanding leader and international policymaker in the fight against climate change who has helped European socialists develop a robust climate agenda over the past decade.

FEPS awards the title of Progressive Person of the Year to social democratic policymakers who contributed to the most important progressive policy initiatives of the past year. Previous recipients include...

Emeritus Professor Jeffrey Henderson explains the key factors behind the outstanding growth performance of the Chinese economy in the past 40 years. He opines that this era of rapid growth seems to be coming to an end, but the systemic rivalry between China and the USA remains a dominant issue in the period ahead. The position Europe takes in regard to this rivalry will be decisive for our global future. The volume and nature of Chinese investment and the methods applied to access natural resources and acquire advanced technology justify a derisking strategy on the side of the European Union...

FEPS Talks invited Israeli political scientist and former minister Yossi Beilin to reflect on the tragic developments in Israel in the past month. Dr Beilin was an active participant of the Oslo peace process in the 1990s and, together with FEPS Secretary General László Andor, he elaborates on the chances of a new peace process after the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas. He compares this shock to that of 9/11 in 2001 suffered by the United States, and highlights the role of leaders who need to find a constructive solution to such complex situations. Dr. Beilin insists that a new pe...

Prospects for Brazilian foreign policy and relations with the EU

Brazil's political landscape fascinates experts across the globe due to its vibrant democracy, complex socio-political landscape, and the country's ability to navigate diverse ideologies and challenges while continuously striving for progress. Brazil's voice and actions have the potential to shape global policies and contribute to finding solutions to pressing global challenges, such as climate change, sustainable development, and changing peace and security architecture. What will the presidency of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva bring? To find out more listen to our new episode on EU-Brazil relations with Maiara F...

Dr. Steffen Angenendt, Senior Fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), and László Andor, FEPS Secretary General

FEPS Secretary General László Andor speaks with Dr. Steffen Angenendt, Senior Fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin. Dr. Angenendt has been involved in migration research and debates in the last three decades and offers an overview of the evolution of policies in German and European context. The 2015 migration crisis is a major milestone which gave rise to Willkommenskultur in Germany but also put more light on the death of thou...

Professor Gösta Esping-Andersen, Professor of Sociology at Pompeu Fabra University, and László Andor, FEPS Secretary General

In Barcelona, FEPS Secretary General, László Andor, talks with Professor Gösta Esping-Andersen, whose name is familiar to all who have studied sociology or political economy in the last 30 years. They explore the connection between the role of families in reproduction, the quest for gender equality, and rising social inequalities. Professor Esping-Andersen shares his view about the resilience of welfare states against crises such as the pandemic but also the current war in Ukraine, and he does not hide his opinio...

Anna Diamantopoulou, President of DIKTIO, and David Rinaldi, FEPS Director of Studies and Research

Anna Diamantopoulou, President of DIKTIO, former minister in Greece and former EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, engages in a talk with David Rinaldi, FEPS Director of Studies and Policy, to reflect on the ongoing and upcoming societal transformations that require innovation and ambition on welfare policy. The exchange looks at the contribution of the Commission’s ‘High-Level Group on the Future of Social Protection in the EU and of the Welfare State in the EU Members’ which President Diamantopoulou chaired. What are th...

Benedicta Lasi, Secretary General of Socialist International, and Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training

Benedicta Lasi, Secretary General of Socialist International engages in a lively debate with Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training, about the political ambition that inspired the opening of the new chapter of the SI. She shares insights regarding the strategy that will make this international organisation a powerhouse able to rise to the contemporary global challenge and support the cooperation of the sister parties worldwide.

Dr Kerstin Hötte, University of Oxford and the Alan Turing Institute and Gerard Oosterwijk, FEPS Digital Policy Analyst

The coming decades will be characterised by two significant technology challenges: climate change mitigation and digitalisation. The technological transition associated with climate change follows clear and well-defined goals. In contrast, digitalisation does not pursue a clear objective and is commonly understood as a self-driving process of technological progress.

During this FEPS Talk, Dr Kerstin Hötte, the University of Oxford and the Alan Turing Institute and Gerard Oosterwijk, FEPS digital policy analyst, discuss the positive and negative interactions ac...

Jérôme Creel, Director for Research at Sciences Po, OFCE and David Rinaldi, FEPS Director of Studies and Policies

Jérôme Creel, Director for Research at Sciences Po, OFCE and David Rinaldi, FEPS Director of Studies and Policies, discuss and elaborate on the policy study: Making Next-Generation EU a permanent tool. They argue that this would open up the possibility of a fundamental political leap: a breakthrough towards a “political Europe”. It could also equip the EU with means to deliver European public goods, steer the transitions and support strategic autonomy.

Rachel Verdin, Research fellow of the University of Sussex Business School, and Gerard Oosterwijk, Digital Policy Analyst for FEPS

Quick-commerce is a service aimed at achieving superfast delivery from ‘dark stores’ to the consumer. And recently, they have boomed! To learn more about these developments, Gerard Oosterwijk, Digital Policy Analyst for FEPS, interviews Rachel Verdin, Research fellow of the University of Sussex Business School. She and a team of researchers investigated three countries (Germany, Spain and the UK), where they unveiled the health conditions of the employees in the sector, their job security and social rights. These firms use work...

Professor René Repasi, S&D Member of the European Parliament, and Dr László Andor, FEPS Secretary General

Professor René Repasi, Member of the European Parliament since 2022, reflects together with Dr László Andor, FEPS Secretary General, on how the so-called Qatargate has undermined citizens’ trust in the European Institutions. Both welcome the quick and strong actions taken by the S&D group facing this case of corruption and illegitimate influence. Repasi proposes a plan to avoid such cases of “bad apples” based on improving transparency, accountability, and media attention, and recalls the EP debate of NGOs and lobbies’ regulation. In...

Tarik Abou-Chadi, Associate Professor at the Nuffield College, Oxford, and Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training

In this exciting episode, Tarik Abu-Chadi, Associate Professor at the Nuffield College, Oxford, engages in a conversation with Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training about the reasons for the electoral decline of social democracy and the growing political fragmentation. He shares insights into his new research, which shows that though the radical right has risen that has been no straightforward transfer of the center-left electorate behind.

S&D MEP Evin Incir and FEPS Policy Analyst Laeticia Thissen

On the occasion of international women’s day, this podcast takes a closer look at the recent policy developments on the EU gender equality agenda. Taking stock of the persisting barriers in the way of gender equality and women’s rights, Laeticia Thissen – FEPS Policy Analyst on Gender Equality – engages in conversation with Swedish MEPs Evin Incir. Whilst identifying the remarkable set of landmark breakthroughs on major EU policies for gender equality, the discussion also reveals that the road towards a genuine “Union of Equality” is still a rocky one. A...

Bohdan Ferens, founder of the SD Platform of Ukraine, and László Andor, FEPS Secretary General

Bohdan Ferens, founder of the SD Platform of Ukraine, answers questions by László Andor, FEPS Secretary General, about the shock of the invasion in February 2022, and the dynamics of war that has devastated Ukraine by triggering large-scale emigration and resulted in a destruction of productive assets, physical infrastructure, and natural environment alike. They assess the development of EU—Ukraine relations, the various forms of solidarity but also the deficits in support. No illusions are created about the possibilities of the next phase of the...

Jamila Madeira, MP and International Secretary of PS in Portugal and Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training

Jamila Madeira, MP and International Secretary of PS in Portugal shares with Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training the key rules that determine Portuguese Socialists’ Governmental Strategy. Integrity, trustworthiness, the ability to learn from mistakes, and determination, laid fundaments to a new kind of politics. It was needed to modernize the country, lift people from poverty and safeguard a more prosperous, European future for everyone.

Professor Gerhard Stahl, member of FEPS Scientific Council, and Dr László Andor, FEPS Secretary General

Professor Gerhard Stahl, member of FEPS Scientific Council, and Dr László Andor, FEPS Secretary General, talk in this episode of FEPS Talks about the latest book of Stahl, which is focusing on China (published in German). After taking stock of the developments of recent years, they analyse the future scenarios of EU-China relationship. They explore specificities of Chinese economic and social development, and expand to various other aspects of China's relations with the rest of the world: technology and investment policies, Covid-19 effe...

Ana Sofia Fernandez, President of the Portuguese Platform for Women's Rights, and Laeticia Thissen, FEPS Policy Analyst for Gender Equality

Ana Sofia Fernandez, President of the Portuguese Platform for Women's Rights, and Laeticia Thissen, FEPS Policy Analyst for Gender Equality, exchange on the gendered nature of economic policy and governance mechanisms at EU level. How do budgets mirror political priorities? What is their influence in perpetuating or redressing persisting gender gaps? How do they discriminate by building on gendered assumptions about society and the economy? How can they be used as a powerful tool in transforming our societies? To...

Professor Rob Manwaring, Flinders University in Adelaide and Dr Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training

Professor Rob Manwaring, Flinders University in Adelaide and Dr Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training connect to discuss the recent unprecedented victory of Antony Albanese Australian Labor Party and inspiration that it may provide for sister parties across the globe. On 21st May 2022 Australian Labor Party led by Anthony Albanese noted an unprecedented victory, forming then a government and preventing 4th term of the Liberal Party. What led to that success, what is on the agenda and which challenges ALP...

Julia von Blumenthal, President of the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder) and FEPS Secretary General László Andor

Julia von Blumenthal, President of the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder) and FEPS Secretary General László Andor discuss the effects of the Russia—Ukraine war on universities, especially in the case of the institution she leads which plays a special role in German -- Eastern European relations. They highlight the humanitarian as well as the educational aspects of Viadrina’s response to the shock of Russian aggression, and explore the possibilities of opening a new chapter in the academic...

Professor Arne Westad, Yale University, and Aline Burni, FEPS Policy Analyst for International Relations

Professor Arne Westad, Yale University, is interviewed by Aline Burni, FEPS Policy Analyst for International Relations, on the relations between Russia and China in the context of the war in Ukraine. Professor Westad is an expert on modern international and global history and specialised in the history of eastern Asia since the 18th Century. In the episode, he explains the developments of China-Russia relations, raising awareness to the fact it is much more complex than often understood. In the interview, Professor Westad also touches upon...

Prof Dr Jens Südekum, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, and Dr László Andor, FEPS Secretary General

Prof Dr Jens Südekum (Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf) and Dr László Andor, FEPS Secretary General, assess the ongoing debate on the sanctions on Russia in Germany and in the rest of Europe. They discuss what could be the consequences of harder decisions related to the oil and gas imports from Russia and how the current situation can affect the EU competitiveness and economic growth potential. Prof Südekum highlights the need for a more autonomous Europe in terms of defenc...

Jess Philips, Labour MP for Birmingham and Shadow Minister, and Laeticia Thissen, FEPS Policy Analyst for Gender Equality

In order to explore the different care inequalities that directly feed into gender imbalances across all spheres of life, Labour MP for Birmingham and Shadow Minister Jess Philips is interviewed by Laeticia Thissen (FEPS Policy Analyst for Gender Equality). Building on the realities made evident by the EU Care Atlas launched by FEPS and the Friedrich-Ebert Stiftung and the complex relationship between motherhood and equality, this podcast puts the finger on how care deficits permeates into various other gender gaps, including...

MEP Mohammed Chahim, Vice President of the S&D, and Andreas Dimmelmeier, FEPS Policy Analyst on Climate and Environment

In this podcast Mohammed Chahim, Vice President of the S&D group a gives a broad overview of the rationale for and the functioning of as well as the political debates on the proposal of a European Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). MEP Chahim, who is the rapporteur for the proposed CBAM regulation, outlines the role of the proposed mechanism for establishing a global level playing field in a world of unequal carbon prices. In addition, he touches on the...

Former EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Stefan Füle and FEPS Secretary General László Andor

Former EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Stefan Füle and FEPS Secretary General László Andor analyse in this episode the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the consequences for the European Union. They argue that the common answer given by the member states will eventually make the EU stronger. Strategic autonomy will mean that the EU becomes a more united and autonomous actor with a global role. Füle and Andor also discuss the future of EU enlargement and what could potenti...

Stephen Bevan, Head of HR research development at the Institute for Employment Studies and László Andor, FEPS Secretary General

Stephen Bevan, Head of HR research development at the Institute for Employment Studies and László Andor, FEPS Secretary General, discuss the impact of COVID-19 in the working conditions, based on the results of the new study about the UK, and compare the main conclusions with the situation in the countries and regions of the European Union. They highlight how the pandemic created the concept of “key workers” and gave rise to new practices like homeworking. The impact on social i...

Katinka Brose, Senior Strategy Agent, Fair Pay Innovation Lab, and Laeticia Thissen, FEPS Policy Analyst for Gender Equality

This FEPS Talks episode focuses on the issue of fair pay in Europe. Building on some key insights and contributions from the brand new policy study “Creating momentum for fair pay: assessing policies with leverage” co-published by FEPS, Fondation Jean Jaurès and Fair Pay Innovation Lab (FPI), one of the co-authors of this publication, Katinka Brose (Senior Strategy Agent, FPI), is interviewed by Laeticia Thissen (FEPS Policy Analyst for Gender Equality). From the many underlying reasons to concrete policy answers seeki...

Katherine Trebeck, co-founder of the Wellbeing Alliance Scotland, and Andreas Dimmelmeier, Policy Analyst on Climate and Environment

In this FEPS talk episode Katherine Trebeck, co-founder of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance, and Andreas Dimmelmeier, Policy Analyst on Climate and Environment, introduce and debate about the concept of a Wellbeing economy. Trebeck outlines what a wellbeing economy means for people, businesses and governments and how it differs from existing views on "the economy".

Cedric Wermuth, Co-Chair of the Swiss Socialist Party, and Ania Skrzypek, Director for Research and Training

Cedric Wermuth, Co-Chair of the Swiss Socialist Party, engages in a conversation with Ania Skrzypek, Director for Research and Training about why ideological integrity matters so much; how to translate an ambitious agenda for equality and social justice into concrete economic proposals; as also what ways are there to move on from the persistent cliff-hanger in EU – Switzerland negotiations.

Dr Reinhard Krumm, Director of the FES Baltic States office, and Dr László Andor, FEPS Secretary General

Dr Reinhard Krumm, Director of the FES Baltic States office, and Dr László Andor, FEPS Secretary General, analyse in this episode the dangerous tensions around the Russia--Ukraine border. First, they go through the last decades and review the main developments in international relations in the last 30 years that brought us to the current situation. They look back to key episodes like the enlargements of NATO, the war in Georgia, and the annexation of Crimea by Russia. Dr Krumm insists on the...

Amandine Crespy, Associate Professor in Political Science and EU Studies at ULB, and David Rinaldi, FEPS Director of Studies and Policy, discuss in this FEPS Talks episode the main developments of Social Europe over the recent period. Building on Crespy's book "The European Social Question - Tackling Key Controversies", the podcast examines the legitimacy of the EU in this policy area of shared competence. They agree that the EU Pillar of Social Rights was a turning point that helped the current Commission to accelerate on socially relevant policies. After addressing some of the recent novelties - from the European...

Dr Anneliese Dodds, Chair of the British Labour Party, and Dr Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training

Dr Anneliese Dodds, Chair of the British Labour Party and Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities, joins Dr Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training in this FEPS Talks episode to speak about the Labour’s vision for Britain 2030. Discussing the new document “Stronger Together”, they explore short term and long-term political challenges, offering the sneak-peek ahead of this weekend’s FEPS – Fabians New Year’s Conference and the panel about the future of social democracy.

Professor Andrew Gamble and Dr Ania Skrzypek

Professor Andrew Gamble and Dr Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training, look at the challenges that democracies in the EU are facing, searching for answers on how to make the ideal persevere, the system reform and the individuals in societies reconnect. Examining the sense of isolation and need for togetherness in the COVID times, they suggest ways in which way progressives should reclaim the debate on state and empower citizens restoring credibility of deliberative processes.

Ending the Merkel era and looking ahead with Olaf Scholz

Michael Miebach, Chair and Co-Founder of Das Progressive Zentrum, and László Andor, FEPS Secretary General, analyse the legacy of Angela Merkel in Germany and Europe after 16 years in office: her strengths and flaws and her role in decisive episodes like the crisis of the Eurozone or the 2015 refugee crisis. Focusing on the latest developments, Miebach and Andor discuss the reasons behind the SPD victory under the leadership of Olaf Scholz and they also explore the critical issues that the “traffic light” coalition will face in the coming period.

Brikena Xhomaqi, Director of the Lifelong Learning Platform (LLLP), and David Rinaldi, FEPS Director of Studies and Policy

Brikena Xhomaqi, Director of the Lifelong Learning Platform (LLLP), and David Rinaldi, FEPS Director of Studies and Policy, discuss in this episode about the right to lifelong learning just after the launch of a Commission’s proposal for a Council Recommendation establishing individual learning accounts. They exchange on how to attain the ambitious EU headline target for adult participation in training and reflect on the need to expand access to formative opportunities. The conversation focused on how to ensure inclusiveness and qu...

Alfonso Aliberti, Project Officer at the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EC), and François Balate, Head of Office of FEPS President

With more than 30 years of existence, the Erasmus programme is one greatest success of the European Union. Alfonso Aliberti, Project Officer at the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EC), and François Balate, Head of Office of FEPS President, discuss about the conclusions we can draw from it and what is the next frontier to ensure that all young people have access to opportunities in Europe and see their rights fulfilled.

Martin Seeleib-Kaiser, Professor of Comparative Public Policy at Tübingen University, and László Andor, FEPS Secretary General

Martin Seeleib-Kaiser, Professor of Comparative Public Policy at Tübingen University, and László Andor, FEPS Secretary General, discuss in this FEPS Talks episode important chapters of Social Europe: starting with new developments related to minimum wage. Prof Seeleib-Kaiser explains the centrality of the concept of human dignity, and the purpose of promoting minimum income schemes at EU level. The conversation links the new social agenda to sustainability and reaches out to questions of youth employment and territorial cohesion as well.

Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz, MEP and former Prime Minister of Poland, and Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training

In this extremely timely episode, Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz, MEP and former Prime Minister of Poland, talks to Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training, explaining how the border tensions are instrumentalized to change the narrative in Belarus and Poland, how the rights of the migrants have to be in focus and the aid must be extended, as also how the situation requires better understanding and stronger political will from the side of the EU.

Samantha Smith, director of the Just Transition Centre, and Andreas Dimmelmeier, FEPS policy analyst on climate and environment

This edition of the #fepstalks features Samantha Smith, director of the Just Transition Centre that has been established by the International Trade Union Confederation, in conversation with Andreas Dimmelmeier, FEPS policy analyst on climate and environment.

Samantha talks about the importance of coming up with and implementing just transition plans that feature contributions from social partners and outlines positive examples including in South Africa, Spain and Germany. The podcast also touches on the need for government and energy companies...

This Reuten, S&D Member of the European Parliament, and Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director of Research and Training

Will the EU be successful in defending democracy and rule of law? Will the conditionality mechanism be used for the first time? Is Poland to be used to make an example? Will there be a Polexit? What about Polish protesters? – these and other fundamental questions remain at the focus of this episode of the FEPS Talks, which feature This Reuten, S&D Member of the European Parliament, and Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director of Research and Training. Together they try to explain wh...

Guy Ryder, ILO Director General, and László Andor, FEPS Secretary General

Guy Ryder, ILO Director General, and László Andor, FEPS Secretary General analyse in this episode the main transformative challenges in the world of work: new technology, climate change, digitalisation and aging population. The International Labour Organisation proposed innovative solutions in three different fields: people and their capacities (social protection, lifelong learning), institutions of work (labour regulations/law) and jobs of the future (green economy, care economy etc.). The two speakers agree that the European Union’s example, even if not perfect, offers many forward-looking examples also for th...

Rhonda Donaghey, PES Women executive member and women’s rights activist and Laeticia Thissen, FEPS Policy Analyst for Gender Equality

September 28th marks the International Safe Abortion Day. It therefore presents an opportune moment to recall how a fair and safe access to abortion constitutes a crucial condition for the respect of women’s fundamental rights and to eliminate gender discrimination. What is the importance of international solidarity for gender justice? How do we end the stigma and discrimination towards abortion? How do we ensure access to safe and affordable abortion healthcare services? How did the Covid-19 pandemic impose furt...

Dr Hannes Swoboda, President of the International Institute for Peace, and Dr László Andor, FEPS Secretary General

Dr. Hannes Swoboda, former S&D group leader in the European Parliament, and current President of the International Institute for Peace, is our special guest in the #100 FEPS Talks episode. In a conversation with Dr László Andor, FEPS Secretary General, he shares his view about the erosion and current reconstruction of social democracy, pointing to examples of revitalisation like Norway or (according to the latest polls) Germany.

Swoboda and Andor also reflect on the role of the progressives in t...

Matt Duss, Foreign Policy Advisor to US Senator Bernie Sanders, joins Vassilis Ntousas, Senior International Relations Policy Advisor at FEP

Matt Duss, Foreign Policy Advisor to US Senator Bernie Sanders, joins Vassilis Ntousas, Senior International Relations Policy Advisor at FEPS, for an episode focusing on the Afghanistan withdrawal, the emerging US foreign policy doctrine under president Biden, the 20th anniversary of 9/11 and what recent developments mean for ‘the West’ and the international liberal order, and the future of transatlantic cooperation after these momentous events.

Professor Thorsten Schulten, WSI Institute of Economic and Social Research at the Hans Blöcker Stiftung and Dr. David Rinaldi, FEPS Director of Studies and Policy

Professor Thorsten Schulten, WSI Institute of Economic and Social Research at the Hans Blöcker Stiftung with Dr. David Rinaldi, FEPS Director of Studies and Policy

The episode starts with a look at the consequences of the pandemic for employment and a reflection on the impact it has on wages and labour shortages. Prof. Schulten then comments on the changing attitude of national and European politics toward employment and wages. The Co...

Professor Jenny Andersson from Science Po and Uppsala University and doctor Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director of Research and Training

Following the recent resignation of the Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, professor Jenny Andersson from Science Po and Uppsala University and doctor Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director of Research and Training discuss the developments in Sweden in the context of the situation of the centre-left in Europe. Tune in to hear analysis of the last decade of the political history of Sweden and find out what the likely scenarios are when it comes to search for a new leadership and new w...

Neil Datta, Secretary of European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights, and Laeticia Thissen, FEPS Policy Analyst for Gender Equality

“My body, my choice” was coined as a feminist struggle setting the tone of this podcast addressing women and girls’ sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Women’s equal access to labour and their full control over their own bodies namely constitute the two core preconditions for women’s full emancipation. In fact, a woman’s power to control her own body is linked to how much control she has in other spheres of her life. It also lies in the...

Professor Jonathan Kirshner (Boston College) and Dr László Andor, FEPS Secretary General

Professor Jonathan Kirshner (Boston College) and Dr László Andor, FEPS Secretary General, mark in this podcast episode the 50th anniversary of the “Nixon shock”, the day when the convertibility of the US dollar to gold was suddenly ended. They discuss how in the post-war decades great imbalances developed in the global financial system which eventually brought the Bretton Woods currency arrangements to an end. This regime change is considered as a critical step by many economic historians which then motivated Western Europe to seek a greater...

Dr. Cinzia Alcidi, Director of Research and Head of the Economic Policy Unit at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), and Dr. David Rinaldi, FEPS Director of Studies and Policy

Dr. Cinzia Alcidi, Director of Research and Head of the Economic Policy Unit at CEPS and Dr. David Rinaldi, FEPS Director of Studies and Policy comment on the outcomes of CEPS Task Force on New Industrial Policy and its relation with the need to boost a job-rich recovery. The conversation insists on the need to link the European industrial policy to job quality, skills and regional cohesion. In...

Jean-Michel de Waele, Professor of Political Sciences at the ULB, and François Balate, Head of Office of FEPS President

For a more progressive sports model The day after the final of the UEFA European Championship 2021, Jean-Michel de Waele, Professor of Political Sciences at the ULB, joins François Balate, Head of Office of FEPS President, to analyse what is the relationship between sports, more specifically football, and politics. They reach the conclusion that a more progressive sports model is needed but they also comment on the results of the European Championship, the reactions of politicians in social media an...

Gaute Børstad Skjervø, vice-president of AUF, Utøya attacks survivor and member of the remembrance committee and Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training

Special episode with Gaute Børstad Skjervø, vice-president of AUF, Utøya attacks survivor and member of the remembrance committee

Diederik Samsom, Head of Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans, in charge of the European Green Deal, and Saïd El Khadraoui, FEPS Special Adviser on the Green Deal

Diederik Samsom, Head of Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans, in charge of the European Green Deal, talks with Saïd El Khadraoui, FEPS Special Adviser on the Green Deal, just one day after the adoption of the Fit for 55-package by the European Commission.

Diederik Samsom emphasises the importance of the European Climate Law that made the EU’s commitment to make its economy climate-neutral by 2050 and redu...

Andrew Small, senior transatlantic fellow with GMF's Asia Program and Vassilis Ntousas, Senior International Relations Policy Advisor at FEPS

Andrew Small, senior transatlantic fellow with GMF's Asia Program, joins Vassilis Ntousas, Senior International Relations Policy Advisor at FEPS, for an episode focusing on China and the evolving dynamics in the transatlantic outlook vis-à-vis Beijing

Flora Bolter, political scientist, activist and co-director of the LGBT+ observatory of the Fondation Jean-Jaurès, and Laeticia Thissen, FEPS Gender Equality Policy Analyst

Contributing to the LGBTIQ Pride Month leading up to the international pride day (June 28th), this FEPS Talks edition features Flora Bolter (political scientist, activist and co-director of the LGBT+ observatory of the Fondation Jean-Jaurès) who engages in a conversation with Laeticia Thissen (FEPS Gender Equality Policy Analyst). After seeking to untangle the complexity of the multiple realities behind the acronym together with its historic and societal evolution, this podcast offers a glimpse into th...

Professor Raymond Torres, Director for Macroeconomy and International Analysis of think tank Funcas, and Dr László Andor, FEPS Secretary Genera

Professor Raymond Torres, Director for Macroeconomy and International Analysis of think tank Funcas, discusses with Dr László Andor, FEPS Secretary General, the need for reinforcing economic governance and fiscal capacity in the European Union to ensure that we emerge stronger from the Covid-19 recession. This would require turning the tools of economic crisis response into permanent instruments, also to avoid the type of economic and social polarisation, including between North and South, which we experienced in the prev...

Jan Royall (Principal of Somerville College in Oxford) and Ania Skrzypek (FEPS Director for Research and Training)

In this very special episode, aired 5 years since the assassination, we commemorate Jo Cox who was an extraordinary person, a passionate activist, and an incredibly talented politician of the Labour Party. In a conversation with Baroness Jan Royall (Principal of Somerville College in Oxford) Ania Skrzypek (Director for Research and Training) discusses the meaning of “we have more in common than that what divides us”. Moreover, they look at Cox’ legacy and how the memory of it should be cultivated by Progressives around...

Adnan Tabatabai, CEO of CARPO, and Vassilis Ntousas, Senior International Relations Policy Advisor at FEPS

Adnan Tabatabai, CEO of CARPO, joins Vassilis Ntousas, Senior International Relations Policy Advisor at FEPS, for an episode exploring the dynamics and main players of the upcoming presidential election in Iran, the legacy of outgoing president Hassan Rouhani, and the state of play concerning the ongoing nuclear talks over the future of the JCPOA

S&D MEP and Rapporteur Christel Schaldemose and Justin Nogarede, FEPS Digital Policy Analist

S&D MEP and Rapporteur Christel Schaldemose and Justin Nogarede, FEPS Digital Policy Analist

The crucial set of rules for online services dates from 2000. Back then, many online services were merely providing tools for users to access the web and build their own websites. And online business models were still unclear. Therefore, the EU allowed experimentation and adopted rules that largely shielded services from liability for content shared by their users. Fast forward 20 years and things are radically different. Large online platforms dominate...

Dr Mario Holzner, executive director of the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw), and Dr László Andor, FEPS Secretary General

What’s next in the fields of cohesion, convergence and enlargement? Dr Mario Holzner, executive director of the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw), discusses with Dr László Andor, FEPS Secretary General, the latest study of the institute: “Avoiding the specialisation trap and embracing megatrends: A new growth model in EU-CEE”. The study was commissioned by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES). They analyse what are the main challenges that the CEE region is facing like an aging population...

Professor Bea Cantillon, University of Antwerp and David Rinaldi, FEPS Director of Studies and Policy

Professor Bea Cantillon and Dr David Rinaldi exchange on the massive social consequences of the pandemic and how that requires stepping up the ambitions for a more social Europe. They reflect on the alarming inequalities that are affecting vulnerable groups in Europe and conclude that the political momentum witnessed at the Porto Summit must be transformed into tangible changes of the policy mix so that social outcomes become more central in European and national policy making.

Pierre-Emmanuel Guigo, Associate Professor Paris-Est Créteil, and László Andor, Secretary General of FEPS

Pierre-Emmanuel Guigo, Associate Professor Paris-Est Créteil, and László Andor, Secretary General of FEPS, analyse the figure of François Mitterrand on the 40th anniversary of his first electoral victory. They discuss how the energy of the 1968 movement contributed to a more progressive France and to the renovation of Parti Socialiste putting the focus on new topics like self-management, climate change and gender equality. All these changes contributed to Mitterrand’s victory one decade later. Prof. Guigo also highlights the main achievements of Mitterran...

Ana Paula Zacarias, State Secretary for Europe in Portugal, and Dr. Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training

Just a few moments ahead of the Social Summit in Porto and long-awaited launch of the Conference of the Future of Europe, Ana Paula Zacarias, State Secretary for Europe in Portugal shares in a conversation with Dr. Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training the insights of the Presidency’s strategy on how to get things done. Being humble, respecting and listening to others, while remaining constructive and setting the bar of ambition high - is how to make th...

Czech Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Jana Maláčová, and FEPS Secretary General László Andor

Czech Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Jana Maláčová, and FEPS Secretary General László Andor exchange views about their expectations concerning the forthcoming Social Summit in Porto. They look back and assess the effectiveness of the social policy measures implemented by the Czech government during the COVID 19 pandemic: the so-called “antivirus programme”, financed in part by the EU, and the various subsidies to families, triggered by the closure of schools and kindergartens during the lockdowns. While keeping unemployment at a very low level...