Inside Europe

Ukraine's Bucha massacre anniversary fuels push for justice, the Dutch organization with a voting hack to boost women's representation in politics, and the EU-Slovakia dispute over fuel. Then: a special investigation into chemical recycling and its limits.

Italy's failed referendum, trial by jury at risk in the UK, and elections in Denmark and France. Then: what a mutiny at high sea tells us about (un)freedom, North Korea's forced labor program, Central Asian migrants' exodus from Russia, and FC Barcelona's labor violations. + https://shorturl.at/iUMhD +?maca=en-podcast_inside-europe-949-xml-mrss

From Cold War power games to the cultural aspirations of the Pahlavi era, this extended conversation pulls back the curtain on the global forces that continue to shape - and be shaped by - Iran today. Dr Roham Alvandi is Director of the Iranian History Initiative at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

How European intersections with Iran's past might help us understand our collective present and how Turkey might hold the key to an exit strategy from the Iran conflict. Then: European elections from Denmark and Slovenia to rural France. Plus: the intriguing story of one of the most controversial deaths in Czech political history. + https://shorturl.at/h7PDP + ?maca=en-podcast_inside-europe-949-xml-mrss

Cyprus on alert as Middle East tensions spill into Europe; Orban turns anti‑Ukrainian rhetoric into campaign fuel; and Paris heads to the polls in a tight left‑right showdown. Plus: Turkey’s AI‑driven protest surveillance, Spain’s weather reporters under attack, Tromso’s tourism troubles, and a taste of tradition from Bologna.

European responses to the war in the Middle East, where Spain is the outlier once again; compulsory military service in Croatia, and home concerts in Prague. Then: an International Women’s Day special connecting past feminist milestones with the present.

DW's investigative journalist Alican Uludag arrested in Turkey, four years of war in Ukraine, and Ukraine's freedom song. Then: what Quentin Deranque's killing might mean for the French Left, Turkey's earthquake anniversary, the Berlinale Teddy Award turns 40, and an art exhibition exposes Robert Fico's tightening grip on Slovak cultural institutions.

A UK by-election that could spell trouble for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, a wrap-up of the Munich Security Conference, a look at the Berlinale and whether it’s still political, and France’s last newspaper hawker. Then: efforts to rebuild Aghdam, US trans people seeking asylum in the Netherlands, and a pagan tradition seeing a revival — wassailing. + film.macht.kritisch https://shorturl.at/OTkz1 +?maca=en-podcast_inside-europe-949-xml-mrss

What happened off the Greek island of Chios, the war crime trial of former Kosovo president Hashim Thaci, and new Danish conscription rules. Then: the downfall of France's Jack Lang, Norway's ambitious Agritech sector, Slovakia's embattled LGBTQ+ community, an inclusive swimming club in Madrid, and why British pubs are struggling — even after Dry January is over.

The verdict against German anti-fascist Maja T, Epstein's connections across Europe, and repression of Islam in Russia. Then: high tensions in the High North, the human rights music project Daughters of Donbas – Songs of Stolen Children, and Slovenian ski jumpers in the Winter Olympics.

How the US shifted from Greenland’s natural partner to its most feared would-be colonizer — and why the American far right is now a liability for Europe’s. Plus: pre-election Hungary, the retrial in the Ján Kuciak murder, Serbia’s oil troubles, and a portrait of Austro-Mexican artist Tamara Flores.

All eyes on Davos: Inside Europe's security and business correspondents take you through what happened at the World Economic Forum and what it all means, followed by a talk with human rights lawyer Wayne Jordash KC on Ukraine. Then: VAT fraud in Slovakia, Norwegian robots fighting isolation in schools, Winter Olympics preparations in Italy, and France's unlikely Catholic revival.

The case for EU membership for Greenland, why the exodus of Syrians from Turkey is a headache for businesses, and religion versus modernity in the Western Isles. Then: Nokia's comeback, an all-female Renaissance ensemble, and a profile of the young disability advocate fighting for more rights in Poland. + EU membership for Greenland Op-ed https://shorturl.at/eCwRb + ?maca=en-podcast_inside-europe-949-xml-mrss

How is Europe handling Trump's renewed threats against Greenland and who is behind Berlin's five-day power outage? Then: A preview of Oulu's 2026 Capital of Culture program, the work of a young Ukrainian and member of the Scottish Youth Parliament, a visit to the new Byron museum in Italy, and the strange case of the Greek monks illegally occupying a mountain monastery.

We’re still on our winter break, but whilst we’re away - here’s a treat we’ve been saving up for you: a Living Planet episode all about climate humour, plus a journey through the marvelous world of transportation, courtesy of our partners at GBH and PRX's The World podcast.

This Living Planet takeover will take you on a magical journey into the world of fungi, the largely invisible organisms that are essential for our ecosystems but can also be dangerous. Then: How Norway has built a reputation as a climate leader while investing more than ever in its oil and gas industry.

How Gen Z-led protests toppled the Bulgarian government, a close look at Denmark's hardline asylum policies, and what should be done about the Dutch housing crisis. Then: A Scottish island castle for sale, Vilnius' bid to become Europe's biggest start-up hub, exhumations of political prisoners in Prague, and how the French Post Office tries to stay relevant.

The Netherlands honors international human rights defenders, whilst the Council of Europe moves to weaken the interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights. Then: the Dayton Peace Agreement at 30, and the 22-year-old tackling medical inequality one skin-pic at a time. + skinforall.co.uk +

Spain's radically different approach to migration, how Norway is taking the fun out of gambling and a rare glimpse into an Italian prison amid a push to reform. Then: the brutal murder of journalist and environmental defender Hakan Tosun, NVIDIA's new AI hub in Armenia, and our first Age is Just a Number profile, featuring Lefteris Arapakis – a man on a mission to clean up the Mediterranean.

Europe responds with caution to the latest peace-push in Ukraine. We’ll be looking at the EU’s military mobility plans and what Ukraine can teach Europe about total defence. Also on the show: Sir Nicholas Winton and the Kindertransport, the second coming of Milorad Dodik, Turkey's Balkans ambitions and fast-fashion vs wooly jumpers.

We zoom in on the EU's newly announced emissions reduction targets and two lithium mine projects in Serbia and Portugal facing tough resistance. Then: the battle of olive farmers against solar parks in Spain, the role of Greenland's glaciers in a crucial tipping point, and a trip to the first ever Venice Noir Festival.

The sanctions loophole allowing EU countries to import Russian LNG, the climate knowledge gap left by war, and the EU’s largest rare-earth magnet factory… right on Estonia’s Russian border. Later: inter-European high-speed rail travel, reducing the carbon footprint of cement, French reforestation and UK wine. + LNG report https://shorturl.at/nj93t + Cement report https://shorturl.at/qeXYY + ?maca=en-podcast_inside-europe-949-xml-mrss

Youth leaders meet in Munich for the One Young World Summit, the EU releases its annual Enlargement Report, and Serbia marks a year since the Novi Sad Railway Station disaster. Also: Italy's controversial Messina Bridge project, Spanish paternity leave and Estonian composer Arvo Pärt at 90.

General elections put the Netherlands back on a centrist course, Ireland elects a leftwing independent candidate as President, and why European leaders are keen to visit Turkey. Then: the world's largest dance music summit in Amsterdam, classical music's most prestigious prize in Stockholm, and 80 years of the Moomins.

In this special "Alternative Economies" edition, we take a break from the news to rethink business as usual. This episode features concrete examples of European business and budget experiments, ranging from the reformist to the downright radical.

All you need to know about Laszlo Krasznahorka: the Hungarian winner of the 2025 Nobel Prize for Literature, a gloriously anarchic celebration of an Italian children’s classic, an Icelandic murder mystery set on the Spanish island of Tenerife, poet and musician Matthew McDonald, and a race up a Slovenian mountain, pursued by Tadej Pogacar.

Why France is stumbling from one political crisis to the next, a new report on homelessness across Europe, and a Housing First project in the UK. Then: Flotilla activists speak of abuse, what Czechia's political future holds, Dutch feminists reclaim the night, and a Fish and Chips shop with a twist. + FEANTSA report on homelessness: https://tinyurl.com/3uxmxf3t +?maca=en-podcast_inside-europe-949-xml-mrss

Elctions relief in Moldova, Czechia goes to the polls, and drone start-ups in Tallinn. Then: ex-French President Sarkozy's verdict, a deep dive into plastic waste exports and their deadly consequences, and how Croatian nationalism got onto the big stage. +Signal Awards: vote for us!: https://tinyurl.com/5y9ra5br + ?maca=en-podcast_inside-europe-949-xml-mrss

24 hours in the life of Emmanuel Macron in New York, how far NATO is prepared to go to defend its airspace, and why you should care about the Moldovan elections. Then: Russian training camps in Serbia, a message from the Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza, the UK's political malaise, a Czech-German history project, and a cheesy festival in Italy.

Donald Trump’s controversial state visit to the UK, a closer look at how Spain and the Netherlands are keeping Palestine in the spotlight, and a Swedish Spy Church. Then: new recruits join a military bootcamp outside Paris, an audio-tour of the world of Czech composer Antonin Dvorak and why Turkey's opposition fear the worst. ++ link to the UN report on Gaza: https://shorturl.at/mVIVO ++?maca=en-podcast_inside-europe-949-xml-mrss

Anger on the streets across France, the National Rally's Trump problem, and a Danish political scientist's plan to fix "democracy's back door." Then: Lithuania steps up its border controls and an island special on Corsican autonomy, the Outer Hebrides' demographic struggle, and Greenland's tourism.

GPS jamming: how worried should Europe be? Pipeline wars: what does the bombing of Russian oil infrastructure mean for Hungary? Confidence vote in France: will this be the end of Bayrou’s government? Parliamentary elections in Norway: what’s on the ballot on September 8th?

Chronicle of a death live-streamed, all aboard the Alpbach Express, fear and loathing in the British provinces, Turkey cashes in on the Syrian reconstruction bonanza and an Inside Europe Sports Special featuring Slovenian cycling legend Tadej Pogacar (yes - you heard that right!). **Content warning: our first item contains reference to physical and psychological abuse**

EU leaders back Ukraine in DC, what the 39% tariffs mean for Switzerland and Norway’s Momentum festival focusses on sounds. Then: France's first incel to be charged with terrorism and a deep dive into the manosphere.

EU diplomacy on behalf of Ukraine, rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia, and European reactions to Israel's war in Gaza. Then: wildfire devastation in southern Europe, a Schindler factory becomes a museum, sustainable aviation and Italy's cartoon icon Pimpa turns 50.

Azerbaijan, Russia and Turkey… who’s allied with whom? Radical countryside – are innocuous sounding rural meetings hiding a darker agenda? Plus all the latest on Czechia’s hottest infrastructure debate. Then: welcome to a glorious European summer, complete with river diving, bears, camper vans, and traditional alcoholic beverages. Seeding Reparations research link: https://linktr.ee/seedrep &maca=en-podcast_inside-europe-949-xml-mrss

In this special edition, we take a break from the news to explore grief as a lens for understanding global events and as a force for social change. Author Sarah Jaffe joins host Kate Laycock to unpack how personal and communal loss – from COVID-19 and Hurricane Katrina to deindustrialization – shape politics, protests and solidarity. A powerful journey through mourning, memory and hope.

A press freedom special with Georgian journalist Tamar Kintsurashvili on the worsening situation for media workers in the country gripped by protests. Also: Natalia Belikova, international lawyer at Press Club Belarus, on how Belarusian exile journalists are fairing. Then, Olga Rudenko, editor-in-chief of the Kyiv Independent, talks about the situation for journalists during the war in Ukraine.

30 years since Srebrenica, Hanno Hauenstein on why language matters when reporting on Gaza, Global Rights Compliance President, Wayne Jordash KC, on gathering war crimes evidence in Ukraine, PKK fighters disarm, and a personal account of Kosovo’s past and present.

More mayors under arrest in Turkey, and press freedom takes centre stage at the DW Global Media Forum. Later in the show: spotlight on journalists in the post-Soviet space, from pens to protest: a portrait of the Italian cartoonist Gianluca Costantini, and what can Germany learn from Estonia when it comes to digitalisation? ++ Check out Gianluca's drawings: https://www.channeldraw.org/ ++&maca=en-podcast_inside-europe-949-xml-mrss

A protest special as we look at recent events in Budapest and Belgrade - two cities experiencing mass-scale demonstrations in defiance of strongman leaders. And, as the UK parliament votes to proscribe Palestine Action, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights outlines his concerns.

A NATO Summit special with the view from Turkey, France, Spain and The Netherlands, Security Correspondent Teri Schultz answering listener questions from The Hague and Political Correspondent Thomas Sparrow on Friedrich Merz’s foreign policy gamble. Then: Sami rights, Bezos in Venice and Ye in Bratislava.

An “Alternative Economies” special, featuring concrete examples of European experiments with rethinking business as usual… ranging from the reformist, to the downright radical.

“We took democracy for granted…. don’t make the same mistake!”: an interview with Klára Dobrev MEP, leader of Hungary’s Democratic Coalition Party and former Vice President of the European Parliament. Plus: the cost of climate change, Valencia after the floods and rebuilding quake-struck Hatay.