On this episode of the MCC Brussels podcast:🇭🇺 Budapest Pride: Hungary vs the Woke WestThe Pride parade returns to the streets of Budapest — but this is no grassroots celebration. Hungarian authorities warn of ideological colonisation, as global activists target national identity and childhood innocence. Orbán’s Hungary refuses to bend the knee — and Brussels can’t stand it.🇩🇪 Germany Moves to Ban the OppositionThe SPD wants to outlaw the AfD — one of the country’s most popular parties. The Greens back it. So does much of the media. What happened to democracy, free speech, or the basic right to disagree? The post-war consensus is cracking — and the new authoritarians wear progressive masks.🇪🇺 The EU Flag at 40: Symbol of Unity or Centralised Power?Four decades after its launch, the EU flag is waved like a sacred relic. But what does it really represent? Today, it’s less a symbol of cooperation — more a banner for technocratic rule, democratic erosion, and contempt for national sovereignty.Featuring Frank Füredi, Executive Director MCC Brussels. and Zsófia Tóth-Bíró from The European Conservative . Hosted by John O’Brien. No platitudes. No censorship. Just the truth.🔔 Subscribe now for more on:Hungary vs EU, Brussels Pride Politics, Germany AfD Ban, Free Speech in Europe, EU Flag Meaning, National Sovereignty, Gender Ideology, Woke Politics, European Union Hypocrisy, Culture War EuropeSubscribe for more unfiltered, razor-sharp analysis from MCC Brussels.
--------
31:53
--------
31:53
Brussel's Climate Fantasy Collapses
On this episode of the MCC Brussels podcast:🔥 EU Green Deal in CrisisVon der Leyen pulls the plug on flagship green policy. Farmers revolt, small businesses are strangled, and voters are done with climate extremism. The Green Deal was never sustainable, it was a fantasy cooked up by unelected bureaucrats and corporate lobbyists. Now reality bites.🇮🇱 Brussels and Israel: Double Standards on DisplayAs Israel defends itself against terror threats, the EU ramps up investigations and legal posturing. Meanwhile, authoritarian regimes like Iran are met with silence or soft diplomacy. This isn’t about human rights — it’s about Brussels performing virtue while ignoring reality.🪖 NATO: Bloated Bureaucracy, Absent BackboneNATO talks a big game (new defence targets, bold declarations) but behind the curtain, it’s a mess of opt-outs, political theatre, and strategic drift. Member states evade commitments. Brussels plays with spreadsheets. And nobody seems to remember what real defence requires: borders, armies, and a will to fight. This is not a serious alliance. Not anymore.Featuring Ashley Frawley and Frank Furedi. Hosted by John O’Brien. No platitudes. No spin. Just the truth
--------
28:24
--------
28:24
Israel vs Iran: Europe CAN’T Stay Neutral
Israel’s response to Iran, the return of border checks across Europe, and the UK’s grooming gang scandal. MCC Brussels takes on the questions too many avoid.Mick Hume (Editor-in-Chief, The European Conservative) and Agnieszka Kolek (Head of Cultural Engagement, MCC Brussels) join host John O’Brien to discuss:Should Europe stand firmly with Israel after strikes on Iranian military targets?Schengen turns 40. Are open borders helping or harming Europe’s security and cohesion?What the UK’s grooming gang crisis reveals about multiculturalism, free speech, and political cowardiceWith sharp insights into foreign policy, security, and social trust, this episode examines the challenges liberal democracies now face from both within and beyond Europe’s borders.👉 Subscribe for weekly content exploring the issues Brussels often avoids.
--------
30:12
--------
30:12
“No more compromise”: Wilders forces Dutch Government collapse
Dutch government collapses, ECHR power grab, Macron censors social mediaMCC Brussels exposes the political battles shaping the future of Europe.Executive Director Frank Furedi and Brussels Report Editor-in-Chief Pieter Cleppe join Jacob Reynolds to unpack:Why Geert Wilders pulled the plug on the Dutch coalition and what it means for the populist right across Europe.How the European Court of Human Rights undermines national democracy and fuels Europe’s migration crisis.Why Macron’s push to ban social media for under-15s signals a new wave of digital censorship and state control.How European elites weaponise supranational courts and institutions to sideline voters and bypass national parliaments.Why mainstream parties refuse to confront Europe’s growing migration backlash.And why Europe’s culture war is now fought in courts, classrooms, and on smartphones.This episode unpacks the escalating clash between European elites and national democracy, and the popular forces rising to confront them.Subscribe for weekly analysis they would rather you didn’t hear.Follow MCC Brussels on social media:https://twitter.com/MCC_Brusselshttps://facebook.com/MCCBrusselshttps://linkedin.com/company/mcc-brussels/website:https://brussels.mcc.hu
--------
34:22
--------
34:22
Poland's election sends a message to EU | MCC Brussels Podcast
Poland’s election shock, Paris riots, Green Deal collapse — Brussels elites are rattled.This week, MCC Brussels takes apart the narratives Europe’s establishment would rather you didn’t hear.Research Fellow Richard Schenk and Agnieszka Kolek join Jacob Reynolds to unpack:The Polish election result and why Polish voters rejected Brussels' liberal elitesWhy Karol Nawrocki’s landslide is a turning point for the patriotic right in EuropeHow young Poles — and the working class — are driving a new conservative waveThe Paris riots: what they really reveal about mass migration, law and order, and the state’s failureIs the European Green Deal collapsing? Why Brussels is quietly dropping climate targets, and what it means for Europe’s economy and sovereigntyThis episode dives deep into the backlash against the EU’s managed democracy, climate ideology, and culture wars — and the growing revolt across European societies.👉 Subscribe for weekly analysis Brussels doesn’t want you to hear.Follow MCC Brussels on social media:https://twitter.com/MCC_Brusselshttps://facebook.com/MCCBrusselshttps://linkedin.com/company/mcc-brussels/website:https://brussels.mcc.hu
Discussions, event recordings, and updates from the team at MCC Brussels – the home for genuine policy deliberation about the EU and an in-depth exploration of the key issues facing Europeans.
Ireland