221 | Macron vs Everyone

We talk to Shahin Vallee, former economics advisor to Emmanuel Macron, about the state of the Macron presidency: from the gilets jaunes to the pensions protests, from dealing with Merkel to facing off with Putin, and from now to the next presidential election in 2022.  Did Macron save the centre of French politics or has he destroyed it?  Can he really be sure he'll beat Le Pen next time?  And what is his plan to rescue the West?  Plus, we discuss what the Griveaux and Mila affairs tell us about the state of French politics.  With Helen Thompson.

39 | The Meaning of UKIP

After UKIP’s dreadful performance in the local elections we ask about the historic legacy of Nigel Farage’s party.  How big was its role in taking the UK out of the EU?  Will UKIP turn out to be the gateway drug for turning Labour supporters into Conservatives?  How do its fortunes compare with the Front National in France?  Plus we catch up on the latest development across the Channel and discuss the prospects for Macron’s presidency.  Can he find a solution to the perennial problem that hangs over French politics: Germany?  With Helen Thompson, Hugo Drochon, Chris Bickerton and Chris Brooke.

38 | Michael Gove

We catch up with Michael Gove, one of the leaders of the Brexit campaign, to ask how he feels about the future of Europe now. What difference will a Macron presidency make?  Will Theresa May have more of a mandate than any other European leader when it comes to the Brexit negotiations?  And how does he feel today about his notorious remark that 'the people of this country have had enough of experts'?

28 | Chris Clark / Germany and India

**Recorded + edited before the events of 22/3/17 in London**

We're joined by best-selling historian Chris Clark - author of The Sleepwalkers - to talk about German politics past and present.  How spooked is the German political establishment by Trump and Brexit?  How big is the threat to Angela Merkel from a resurgent SPD?  And how can Germany square its growing power with the legacy of its history?  With Helen Thompson and Chris Bickerton.  Plus Maha Rafi Atal updates us on the latest developments in India, where Modi's populism appears to be more popular than ever.

26 | Election Season

We catch up with elections taking place here, there and everywhere: last week's vote for the Northern Ireland assembly, next week's general election in the Netherlands, the continuing drama of the French presidential race.  Do these votes have anything in common and what might it be?  Are we seeing the inexorable rise of populism or is the tide starting to turn?  And how did a thrown shoe change the course of recent political history?  Plus we ask what, if anything, the Trump presidency is doing for European harmony.  With Barry Colfer, Chris Bickerton, Maha Rafi Atal and Aaron Rapport.
 

12 | Gary Younge

Guardian journalist Gary Younge covered the presidential election from Muncie, Indiana: aka Middletown. We talk to him about the view of Trump and Clinton from Middle America, what he thinks might happen next, and what Trump's election means for race, violence and poverty in the US. We also talk with Helen and Chris about the latest developments in Europe: Fillon vs. Le Pen in France, and Renzi vs. everyone in Italy. There are still more twists and turns to come in this most amazing political year.