logo
episode-header-image
Jul 8
21m 10s

The French reconnection: Macron in Brita...

The Economist
About this episode

Anglo-French relations have not been so good since before the Brexit vote. Beneath the state-visit pageantry, though, there is much co-operation for President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss. Gangs have infiltrated many of Latin America’s mining operations—with violent results. And an ode to Britain’s Shipping Forecast, an inscrutable radio feature that is turning 100.


Additional audio courtesy of Alexander Seale @alexseale.


Get a world of insights by subscribing to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.


Up next
Yesterday
Liberté, égalité, désordre: chaos in France
France’s newly-appointed prime minister has resigned only weeks into the job. Now President Emmanual Macron has given him 48 hours to come up with a plan for next year’s budget. Can Macron survive the turmoil? As driverless taxis take over San Francisco, what will happen to the h ... Show More
21m 3s
Oct 7
Man of steel, and aluminium: Carney talks trade with Trump
The swiftest way for Prime Minister Mark Carney to ease pressure on Canada’s economy is to convince President Donald Trump today to pare back tariffs. But he has far broader plans afoot, too. A heady online mix of e-commerce and entertainment is creating a new generation of shopp ... Show More
21m 58s
Oct 6
One peace at a time: hopeful Gaza talks
As negotiators gather in Egypt, appetite for a short-term peace seems high on all sides. But there is much ambiguity surrounding a lasting accord. In New York, renters fear being evicted far less than they once did—but pity flat-hunters. And remembering Kim Seong Min, a North Kor ... Show More
22m 54s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 8
The French reconnection: Macron in Britain
Anglo-French relations have not been so good since before the Brexit vote. Beneath the state-visit pageantry, though, there is much co-operation for President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss. Gangs have infiltrated many of Latin America’s mining operati ... Show More
21m 10s
Feb 2025
Emmanuel dexterity: Trump and Macron chat
The meeting between France’s and America’s presidents had a familiarly chummy feel. We ask whether Emmanuel Macron’s charm offensive might have changed Donald Trump’s mind on security matters. Norway’s stocks of wild salmon are in trouble—owing in part to their farmed brethren (9 ... Show More
22m 40s
Jun 2025
Going gang-buster: we meet Ecuador’s president
Yesterday’s arrest of a notorious gang leader is a win for Daniel Noboa. He assures our journalists he can beat back rampant transnational gangs without trampling democracy. The torrent of big geopolitical news has, perhaps surprisingly, not much moved the markets; we ask why. An ... Show More
25m 48s
Jan 2025
Towards Russia with love: Austria’s political tilt
A once-fringe far-right party looks close to power—and serves as another sign of a broad and worrying pro-Russia trend in central European politics. Meanwhile Jean-Marie Le Pen, who established the far-right party now close to power in France, has died; our correspondent reflects ... Show More
22m 13s
Mar 2025
One week in the life of Volodymyr Zelensky
After a turbulent seven days, how will President Volodymyr Zelensky tackle the domestic and international challenges ahead? Our correspondent attends “Ode to Resilience”, a concert of defiance in Ukraine (9:55). And how “The Economist” reported on the Allies’ advance across Europ ... Show More
22m 59s
Aug 22
Rule and divide: opposition grows in Syria
Less than nine months after Syria’s dictator Bashar al-Assad was toppled, the honeymoon is over. How is the new regime responding to rising dissent? Introducing Britain’s revolutionary retirees: why pensioners increasingly dominate political protest. And celebrating the life of o ... Show More
23m 38s
Feb 2025
Ode to dread: Europe after Trump
This week European leaders have lined up to charm Donald Trump. But the broad smiles belie a bigger fear: what would it mean for the continent’s security if America forsakes its security guarantees? What the pull-out of French forces will mean for Africa (10:56). And the Maha Kum ... Show More
24m 2s
Sep 2024
Grand Barnier: France’s new prime minister
Two months ago, French politics was thrown into crisis after a snap election left no party with a clear majority. Michel Barnier, the new prime minister, has a huge task ahead. Donald Trump’s campaign took time to adjust to the nomination of Kamala Harris. Now he’s on the attack ... Show More
25m 5s
Mar 2025
Conversation peace: can Europe bargain with Russia?
European leaders met in London this weekend after Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky’s public row shattered hopes for a US-led truce in Ukraine. What did the summit achieve? Our correspondent visits Mexico’s border to find out if strengthened force will stem the flow of fentanyl ... Show More
24m 45s
Sep 2024
France finally gets a new PM
President Emmanuel Macron has named the EU’s former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier as France’s next prime minister. Plus, Europe’s sustainable investment funds double down on defence stocks, and Ukraine ​President Volodymyr Zelenskyy carries out his biggest wartime cabinet resh ... Show More
11m 55s