The Ring

Botenga vs Mandl — More money for the military - to do what?

Is higher defense spending in Europe a strategic investment or a random act to please Donald Trump? Europe finds itself at a moment of profound uncertainty, caught between wars on its borders, growing geopolitical rivalry, economic anxiety and questions about the future of the transatlantic alliance. What should Europe's answer be?   Two members of the European Parliament, Lukas Mandl from the European People’s Party from Austria and Marc Botenga, from The Left group from Belgium, got into a heated debate over this.   Does the newfound sense of European vulnerability that has triggered a historic shift in European defense policy justify spending billions of euros on new weapons? An unconditional no from Botenga and an evenly clear yes from Mandl.   Listen to this edition of The Ring, brought to you from the European Parliament studios in Strasbourg.  The Ring is Euronews’ weekly political showdown, where Europe’s toughest debates meet their boldest voices. In each episode, two political heavyweights from across the EU face off to propose a diversity of opinions and spark conversations around the most important issues of EU affairs and the wider European political life. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Boeselager vs Brandstätter — Will Canada join the EU someday?

The European Political Community’s first meeting in the South Caucasus last week reflects the stretching contours of Europe, geographically, politically and strategically. Is Europe truly becoming an independent global power? Should the  EU respond to external pressure with deeper integration? Will Canada join the EU someday? In this edition of our weekly debate show The Ring, Damian Boeselager (Volt/Greens) and Helmut Brandstätter (Renew) discuss whether Europe can lead in a changing world order.    Listen to this edition of The Ring, brought to you from the European Parliament studios in Brussels. The Ring is Euronews’ weekly political showdown, where Europe’s toughest debates meet their boldest voices. In each episode, two political heavyweights from across the EU face off to propose a diversity of opinions and spark conversations around the most important issues of EU affairs and the wider European political life. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Arnaoutoglou vs de la Parte — How to avoid a trade war with China?

Is a trade war with China looming? Can the EU still strike a balance between protection and cooperation? How will the EU deal with a country it needs but that doesn’t share its set of values?    In this edition, MEPs Sakis Arnaoutoglou (S&D) and Nicolás de la Parte (EPP) discuss what could be one of the most consequential topics on the EU's political agenda.   Trade tensions between China and the European Union are escalating after Beijing called on EU member states to revise the bloc’s proposed “Made in Europe” legislation. The draft proposal of the European Commission seeks to tighten the rules for foreign companies that want to participate in EU public procurement contracts. The initiative was met with criticism by China’s commerce ministry, affirming Beijing would respond with countermeasures. What's next for EU-China relations?   Listen to this special edition of The Ring, brought to you from our studios in Brussels. The Ring is Euronews’ weekly political showdown, where Europe’s toughest debates meet their boldest voices. In each episode, two political heavyweights from across the EU face off to propose a diversity of opinions and spark conversations around the most important issues of EU affairs and the wider European political life. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Allen vs Fassoulas — PSG vs Bayern: A semifinal for the ages?

In this special football edition of The Ring, we deconstruct a Champions League game that will go down in history as one of the best ever. Nine goals - can top quality football really be any better? Our experts also weigh in on what else is moving Europe's most popular sport. To talk about what happened on that memorable Tuesday and what else is moving European football these days, host Stefan Grobe was joined by two other big football fans and consummate Brussels insiders: Connor Allen who manages government and external relations at a big company and Petros Fassoulas, secretary general of the European Movement International. We commented on Sports Commissioner Glenn Mecallef’s reaction to the match, debated some darker sides of football, especially the problem of racism among supporters, and discussed whether football is a unifying factor for Europe and the world. Listen to this special edition of The Ring, brought to you from our studios in Brussels. The Ring is Euronews’ weekly political showdown, where Europe’s toughest debates meet their boldest voices. In each episode, two political heavyweights from across the EU face off to propose a diversity of opinions and spark conversations around the most important issues of EU affairs and the wider European political life. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Gotink vs Ohisalo — No keys, no future? The housing crisis in Europe

Should governments impose strict rent controls to limit price increases? Should foreign investors face limits or bans on buying residential property? Can the EU play a stronger role, or should housing remain primarily a national responsibility?    From soaring rents in major cities to shortages of affordable homes across the bloc, pressure is mounting on national governments and EU institutions alike. Maria Ohisalo (Greens) from Finland and Dirk Gotink (European People’s Party) from the Netherlands step into The Ring and clash on how to tackle the housing emergency in Europe.   Listen now to this episode of The Ring, brought to you from the European Parliament in Brussels. The Ring is Euronews’ weekly political showdown, where Europe’s toughest debates meet their boldest voices. In each episode, two political heavyweights from across the EU face off to propose a diversity of opinions and spark conversations around the most important issues of EU affairs and the wider European political life. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.