Every two weeks, I host a live YouTube debate with the political movement DiEM25 on YouTube. Featuring Yanis Varoufakis and our crew of activists and thinkers from across Europe, we dissect a political issue of the day, and brainstorm how to respond.
These calls are quite heavy on the issues, but there's usually a lot of discussion on tactics too, which might interest you as a reader of this blog. Subscribe to DiEM25's YouTube channel to get notified when the next debate drops. Or if you prefer audio, subscribe to DiEM25's podcast.
Below are some notable episodes. I'll add to this list whenever we publish videos I think you should see.
Page last updated: December 1, 2023.
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The awful truth behind the Dutch election results
I talk with Lucille Cornelius, DiEM25 member and activist living in Amsterdam, Netherlands, about the real meaning behind the Dutch election results, the rising far-right and what we can do to tackle this political trend across Europe.
Free Speech or Hate Speech? Gaza, Antisemitism and Islamophobia
Gaza screams for help. Why won’t Europe listen?
On the non-reaction of European leaders to Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.
Silencing voices
Is curtailing civil liberties just the latest tactic of an increasingly authoritarian establishment to silence dissent? What is it about today’s discourse that makes this kind of cancelling so effective? Could it ever be justified, when the individuals involved hold polarising views? And as anti-establishment activists, how can we push back against this dangerous trend? (See also: my post on the Russell Brand story)
Beyond bigotry — Why are transgender rights under attack?
A heated but valuable discussion with colleagues on how to progress on trans rights. The divisions exposed and questions raised here are emblematic of the debate on this topic more generally. See also: my proposal for how to move forward on trans rights, which arose out of discussion below.
What the hell happened to Green politics?
This debate is relevant to any of you who are working on climate, and in movements with an institutional component more generally. We covered greenwashing, why movements lose their radical nature when they gain power, and much more.
Is Europe a vassal of the US?
GPT-4 and beyond: Discussing AI
Ukraine: are weapons really the way to peace?
Corruption in the EU
Spying on us all – Government and Big Tech want even more surveillance powers
You know they're listening in, right? Here's a primer on it.