Latest Interviews
Showing 1–12 of 12 interview transcripts.
Clear all filters- The Economist7 min
Why Le Pen is keeping Trump at a distance | The Economist
Le Pen, Trump, Edward Carr, Adam Roberts, Sophie Pedder
France currently stands as Europe's only power combining significant military spending with the operational will to deploy forces globally, fostering a strong strategic partnership between President Macron and Prime Minister Starmer. Conversely, the rise of the far-right National Rally under Marine Le Pen threatens to fracture the EU's core France-Germany axis by prioritizing national sovereignty over integration, potentially clashing with Berlin on Ukraine policy and demanding fiscal concessions. While Le Pen's administration seeks to reduce EU contributions and rollback regulations, the French public's reluctance toward total withdrawal may force the party to adopt a more restrained, albeit disruptive, approach to European reform.
- The Economist20 min
Right down: Le Pen barred
Le Pen, Rosie Bloor, Sophie Pedder, Callum Williams, Anne Rowe
A Paris criminal court banned Marine Le Pen from future elections for five years due to embezzlement, effectively removing her from the 2027 presidential race and plunging the National Rally into strategic uncertainty. Concurrently, a separate report highlights sustained rental inflation across wealthy nations driven by migration and supply shortages, while acknowledging that these costs have likely peaked despite remaining high. Finally, the obituary section honors Oleg Gordievsky, the high-ranking KGB officer who successfully defected to MI6 in 1985 after covertly gathering intelligence for decades.
- The Economist22 min
Towards Russia with love: Austria’s political tilt
Jean-Marie Le Pen, Jason Palmer, Christopher Lockwood, Sophie Pedder, Sarah Burke
European right-wing parties, including Austria's Freedom Party led by Herbert Kickl and France's National Rally following the death of its founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, are gaining traction through anti-migration and pro-Russian platforms that challenge traditional democratic norms. Simultaneously, Latin America is experiencing a surge in banking adoption driven by digital payments and open banking initiatives, though structural barriers and a widening gender gap continue to limit full financial inclusion for vulnerable populations. Analysts warn that the convergence of these pro-Russian political blocs in Central Europe and persistent economic inequalities in Latin America presents complex challenges for international cooperation and regional stability.
- The Economist25 min
It’s no longer Trudeau: Canada’s PM resigns
Trudeau, Jason Palmer, Rob, Sophie Pedder, Shailesh Chitnas
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation following a decade of governance marked by significant electoral decline and internal conflict, setting the stage for a leadership succession race and an upcoming election centered on economic instability and foreign tariff threats. Meanwhile, the French satirical newspaper *Charlie Hebdo* marked the tenth anniversary of the deadly 2015 attack by reaffirming its provocative editorial stance from a secure location, even as public support for its right to caricature religious figures wanes amid a shifting cultural landscape. In the pharmaceutical sector, Artificial Intelligence is poised to disrupt an industry struggling with soaring development costs by accelerating molecular design and reducing timelines, though current clinical success rates remain constrained by the inherent complexity of human biology.
- The Economist21 min
Moment of truce: a ceasefire in the Middle East
Rosie Bloor, Greg Karlstrom, Anjani Trivedi, Sophie Pedder
A US and France-brokered 60-day ceasefire entered into force, mandating Hezbollah's withdrawal north of the Litani River and Israel's gradual troop pullback while facing skepticism over Lebanon's economic stability and military capacity. In Europe, the bankruptcy of battery maker Northvolt has exposed structural vulnerabilities in the region's EV supply chain, threatening to increase reliance on Chinese-dominated manufacturing and delay green energy targets. Concurrently, French media and public discourse are reshaping societal norms regarding aging, with cultural figures like Sylvie from *Emily in Paris* challenging traditional beauty standards to promote confidence and visibility for women over 60.
- The Economist23 min
No right left: Afghanistan’s oppressed women
Rosie Bloor, Nagin Sadeed, Archie Hall, Sophie Pedder
The Taliban has consolidated its enforcement of strict gender restrictions through a new legal code that bans women from public speech and working, exacerbating an economic collapse while officials deflect accountability for the human cost. Simultaneously, Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers are rapidly expanding their foothold in the UK market by leveraging price competitiveness and a permissive government stance that contrasts with stricter tariff policies elsewhere, creating potential retaliatory risks for key British export sectors. In a cultural shift, the Netflix series "Emily in Paris" has transformed from a target of French ridicule to the platform's most-watched show in France, driven by increased French dialogue and patriotic sentiments following the 2024 Olympics.
- The Economist25 min
Grand Barnier: France’s new prime minister
Grand Barnier, Michel Barnier, Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Simon Verity, Rosie Bloor, Sophie Pedder, Adam O'Neill, Anne Rowe
Following a two-month political crisis, President Emmanuel Macron appointed veteran politician Michel Barnier as Prime Minister to steer France through a fragmented parliament, despite facing immediate opposition from the largest left-wing bloc and the urgent task of balancing a national budget exceeding EU deficit limits. In the United States, Donald Trump's campaign has pivoted to aggressive negative advertising targeting Kamala Harris regarding economic and border issues, while Harris attempts to rebuild demographic support through biographical storytelling ahead of the final weeks of the election. Meanwhile, acclaimed stone sculptor Simon Verity died at 79, leaving behind a legacy of intricate architectural works including the "Portal of Paradise" and whimsical commissions for notable figures like King Charles III.
- The Economist25 min
The boot is on the other foot: Ukraine’s surprise incursion
Jason Palmer, Oliver Carroll, Sophie Pedder, Paul
Ukrainian forces under President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Sirsky have executed a secretive incursion deep into Russian territory, advancing forty kilometers toward Kursk to draw enemy troops away from the Donbass front. Concurrently, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games demonstrated a successful low-cost strategy that achieved a record medal haul for France while avoiding the construction of "white elephant" venues, a model now influencing the upcoming Los Angeles 2028 organizers. Finally, Envisix is introducing the first commercial three-dimensional holographic head-up displays for Cadillac vehicles later this year, a technological shift projected to grow the automotive HUD market to ten billion dollars by 2034.
- The Economist21 min
Down to the wires: Africa’s digital lag
Rosie Bloor, Jason Palmer, Ore Ogunbiyi, Sophie Pedder, John Bleasdale
The event analyzes Africa's critical digital infrastructure deficit, highlighting how energy shortages and regulatory barriers threaten to exclude the continent from $16 trillion in potential AI-driven economic growth. It further examines the Paris Olympics' environmental contradictions, where a billion-euro cleanup of the Seine failed to prevent bacterial contamination during the triathlon despite the river's vital role in global logistics. Finally, the discussion retrospectively evaluates the enduring success of the *Blair Witch Project*, detailing its record-breaking $250 million return on a $35,000 budget through innovative viral marketing and psychological storytelling techniques.
- The Economist25 min
Lurch in the left: France’s election shock
Jason Palmer, Sophie Pedder, Tom Gardner, Anne Rowe
French President Emmanuel Macron's dissolution gamble resulted in a hung parliament where the New Popular Front secured the most seats while the hard-right National Rally finished third, preventing an RN-led government but complicating coalition formation due to tactical resentments and a lack of political tradition. Simultaneously, the Basketball Africa League concluded its fourth season as a continent-wide professional endeavor aiming to retain local talent and drive economic growth, though it faces hurdles regarding infrastructure investment and consistent attendance. In a separate historical note, Ángeles Flores Peón, a 105-year-old Spanish Republican who survived fifteen years of Francoist imprisonment and decades of exile, passed away having spent her later years campaigning for historical memory and women's rights.
- The Economist24 min
Bet noir: Macron’s electoral gamble backfires
Macron, Jason Palmer, Rosie Bloor, Sophie Pedder, Joshua Spencer, David Adam
Marine Le Pen's National Rally won the first round of French parliamentary elections, while centrist President Emmanuel Macron's alliance finished third, setting the stage for a likely hung parliament and strategic runoff tactics on July 7th. Simultaneously, Thailand's Senate passed a historic same-sex marriage bill redefining unions as between "two persons" with bipartisan support, awaiting royal endorsement to become the first Southeast Asian nation to legalize marriage equality. In sports technology, researchers from Fribourg University are utilizing augmented reality headsets to help penalty takers improve reaction times by 100 milliseconds, addressing the high failure rates that account for approximately 20% of knockout matches in major tournaments.
- The Economist24 min
French fried: will the election lead to chaos?
Rosie Bloor, Sophie Pedder, Doug Dowson, Stephanie Studer
President Emmanuel Macron has dissolved France's National Assembly to address a political crisis, risking a hung parliament where Marine Le Pen's National Rally and Jean-Luc Mélenchon's left-wing bloc compete for influence on starkly divergent economic policies. Concurrently, the United States is witnessing a doubling of cannabis usage among adults over 35 alongside legal expansion, though heavy consumption correlates with poorer health and earnings despite remaining less lethal than alcohol. Finally, experts advocate for short literature like Shen Fu's *Six Records of a Floating Life* and Virginia Woolf's *A Room of One's Own* to deliver immersive, complete experiences without the distraction of lengthy commitments.