Europod & Sphera • News

They call it Europe’s backbone: the rural heartlands. Covering more than 80 per cent of the EU’s territory but home to less than 30 per cent of its population, rural areas are vital for food, biodiversity, and climate resilience, yet face population decline, ageing communities, poor infrastructure, and limited digital access. In this episode of Europe Talks Back, Evi Kiorri explores what life is really like far from the cities, speaking with Emanuele Monaco, who left urban life to build a distillery in rural Puglia, Italy. Through his story, we uncover both the challenges and the opportunities of rural life: from revitalising communities and sustainable farming to attracting young families and new ideas. Join us as we examine how policies, investment, and community effort could shape the future of Europe’s countryside.Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.Production: By Europod, in co-production with Sphera Network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Work emails at night. Messages from your boss after dinner. The pressure to be “always on” has become the norm, blurring the line between work and life, and pushing more people toward burnout. In this episode of Europe Talks Back, we look at how digital tools, remote work, and workplace expectations are wearing us down and whether the growing push for a legal right to disconnect can turn things around.We spoke to Professor Claudia Pagliari, an expert in digital health and tech ethics at the University of Edinburgh, to understand how constant connectivity affects our minds, our health, and our relationships and what really needs to change: the law, the culture, or both.Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.Production: By Europod, in co-production with Sphera Network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it really mean to be a rainbow family in the European Union? In this episode of Europe Talks Back, we explore the promise and the shortcomings of the European Certificate of Parenthood, a regulation meant to ensure that parenthood rights are recognised across all 27 EU countries. From Spain to Bulgaria, Italy to Poland, we look at what’s happening when same-sex families cross borders, only to find that their legal status doesn’t always travel with them. To unpack the legal grey zones, the clash between national sovereignty and EU law, and what all this means for the children caught in between, we spoke with Professor Alina Tryfonidou, an expert in EU law and a leading voice on LGBTIQ+ rights. Despite hopeful rulings from EU courts, many rainbow families remain in limbo, a stark reminder that equality on paper doesn't always mean equality in practice.Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.Production: By Europod, in co-production with Sphera Network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Europe Talks Back, we explore how Europe's so-called culture wars are used to divert attention from structural economic issues.  With insight from political scientist and member of the Social Democrats Justus Seuferle and Politics Professor at the University of Bath, Aurélien Mondon, the episode examines how political and media discourse has shifted away from material concerns like wages, housing, and labour rights, towards debates on identity, migration, and “wokeness.” Our guests argue that this cultural framing distorts the concept of class and often benefits elite interests, while marginalising those most affected by economic inequality. Through this lens, we question who really shapes the public narrative in Europe, and who is excluded from it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Abortion remains illegal in Malta and highly restricted in Poland, despite ongoing pressure from European institutions to uphold reproductive rights. In this episode of Europe Talks Back, we examine the historical and current influence of religious institutions on abortion policy across Europe, and the political forces maintaining these restrictions. We are joined by Neil Datta, Executive Director and founder of the European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights, and Magdalena Chrzczonowicz, Editor-in-Chief of OKO.press and contributor to the cross-border investigation Exporting Abortion, who share insights on how restrictive laws impact women and how cross-border initiatives are working to protect access to safe abortion care. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.