Von der Leyen makes it awkward with Canada
Summary
Ursula von der Leyen’s surprise proposal for Canada to become the EU’s first associate member dominates the episode, with hosts Zoya Schafovich and Sarah Wheaton analyzing the geopolitical implications and legal hurdles ahead of Mark Carney’s address. The discussion also covers Friedrich Merz’s political crisis in Germany, where the CDU faces historic lows and potential defeat in upcoming state elections against the rising AfD. Finally, the episode highlights a Commission assessment revealing that most plastic waste exported to Turkey is not recycled, yet the EU plans to continue shipments …
Topics discussed
Sponsor: Blinds.com
Intro: Strasbourg vibe and Canada-EU news
Host banter: Coffee in Strasbourg
Von der Leyen's surprise Canada associate membership
Legal questions and diplomatic reactions to the proposal
Canada's perspective and CETA ratification status
Listener thoughts and Eurovision joke
German Chancellor Merz's declining approval ratings
Upcoming state elections and CDU crisis
Possible scenarios for Merz's political future
EU trash exports to Turkey and environmental harm
Weekend preview: State of the EU and AI policy
Listener mail: Tap water campaign in Brussels
Outro and survey reminder
Sponsor: Blinds.com
Listen ad-free on Castria