Ep 188: Mario Draghi's return — Italian influence — Is the EU funny?

Brussels Playbook Podcast

POLITICO

News, Politics, News Commentary

4.4 • 204 Ratings

🗓️ 18 February 2021

⏱️ 34 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

We discuss Italy's new prime minister, Mario Draghi, and explore how he will operate at home and on the European stage. Plus, we debate whether the EU is funny, with a talented comedic cast. POLITICO's Jacopo Barigazzi gives us the inside scoop on Draghi, the former European Central Bank president. Jacopo joins podcast regulars Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz Matthew Karnitschnig to break down the challenges facing this new government, and to discuss how Draghi will influence EU power dynamics — particularly through his relationships with Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron. In these super-serious times, humor is all the more important. Granted, the EU may not seem an obvious source of hilarity — but it actually has a thriving comedy scene. We brought in Berlaymonster blogger Duncan Lumsden, Brussels-based improv performer Kelly Agathos — creator of The Brexit Rap — and POLITICO's Paul Dallison to discuss how and why the EU is funny. The podcast crew returns with a couple of recommendations for lockdown entertainment. Rym says this pop-star documentary is a must-watch and Andrew recommends a classic romantic thriller. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Within our mandate, within our mandate, the ECB is ready to do whatever it takes to preserve the euro.
0:13.0	And believe me, it will be enough.
0:17.0	Welcome to EU Confidential. I'm Andrew Gray, Politico's EU editor in Brussels. And you just heard
0:23.4	Mario Draghi speaking back in 2012 when he was president of the European Central Bank, uttering
0:30.2	one of the most famous phrases in EU history, a phrase credited with saving the euro. Fast forward to today and Draghi is Italy's new prime minister,
0:41.0	tasked once again with doing whatever it takes,
0:44.1	this time to lead his country through the pandemic and into economic recovery.
0:49.3	We'll talk more about Draghi and his likely impact on Italy and the EU in just a moment. And later in this
0:56.3	episode, we'll debate the very serious question we posed last week. Is the EU funny?
1:02.8	I think a lot of it boils down to the fact that the EU isn't funny. It is a deeply boring
1:09.3	procedural setup, but therein lies the humour in a way.
1:13.7	But first, let's get to the podcast panel.
1:17.2	So a warm welcome to Matt Karnitschnik in Berlin.
1:19.5	Hi, Matt.
1:20.5	Good an advent.
1:21.8	Riemontas in Paris.
1:23.2	Hi, Riem.
1:24.2	Bonjour.
1:25.4	And it's a buonacera to our special guest this week,
1:28.7	Jako Baragazzi, our senior EU reporter who's also here in Brussels.
1:33.3	Hi, Jakopo.
1:34.1	Cha, bonacera.
	...

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