Episodit
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âHow did you go bankrupt?" âTwo ways. Gradually, then suddenly.â Novelist Earnest Hemingway put these words in the mouth of one of his characters in his 1926 breakthrough novel, The Sun Also Rises, and it seems they are as true to dictators as they are to a fictional gambler and drunk.
Last weekend, President Bashar al Assad of Syria, the cruel and brutal head of a corrupt dynasty that had ruled Syria for over half a century, fled with his family to Moscow â just two weeks after a rebel group started upon an offensive from north to south.
In retrospect, it became clear that the regime had been creaking gradually for some time, before it collapsed suddenly, leaving Iran and Russia, his two external supporters, bereft and the people of Syria free - or at least free from the regime. The freedom to decide their future is yet to be tested or understood.
Hind Kabawat, a former member of the High Negotiations Committee at the Syrian peace talks in Geneva and a prominent leader of Syrian civil society, is one of the best-placed people to reflect on the past and especially the future of Syria. A native of Damascus who attended school with Bashar al Assad but has been standing in staunch opposition to him ever since she passionately believes in multi-faith collaboration as well as the importance of women.
While applauding the fall of Assad, Professor Kabawat knows the future is yet to be decided - but that equality of different peoples of all faiths, genders, and political tribes must be at its centre.
This episode was recorded on 12 December 2024
Mentions and further resources
IIIM â International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism
Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS)
Timeline of Arab Spring in Syria
Follow our guest
Hind Kabawat X/Twitter, LinkedIn and webpage (George Mason University)
Tastakel, the non-profit Syrian women-led organisation working on building a democratic society on the basis of respect, justice & the rule of law.
Follow us
Instagram @women_leaders_podcast
European Leadership Network Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and website
Ilana Bet-El
Credits
Production: Florence Ferrando
Music: Let Good Times Roll, RA from #Uppbeat
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The political landscape in Germany seems anything but stable. From unresolved disputes and coalitions failing to the publication of Angela Merkelâs memoirs - a timely reminder of a past ideal era - the nation faced mounting challenges. Economic struggles, extremism on the edge and upcoming early elections: a worrying mix for one key European player.
Tanit Koch Schneider, journalist, co-host of the Focus Briefing and former editor-in-chief of the popular BILD, joins Ilana Bet-El to explain how and why the cherished German model went wrong, from the national situation following the elections three years ago, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, weaknesses to the multiple challenges and issues - and more!
This episode was recorded on 28 November 2024
Mentions and further resources
Tanitâs article on Merkelâs memoirs release (The New European)âFreedom: Memoirs 1954 - 2021â from Angela MerkelFollow our guest
Tanit Koch X/Twitter & [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?fetchDeterministicClustersOnly=true&heroEntityKey=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_profile%3AACoAABenGA4BaEm2wOlqXbdvN8g7wLzGF2HV6tQ&keywords=tanit koch&origin=RICH_QUERY_SUGGESTION&position=0&searchId=85357a78-82ef-46e1-b5e0-3120cc0a07f9&sid=%3A(2&spellCorrectionEnabled=false)All her publicationsNewsletter Focus BriefingYou can also follow us
Instagram @women_leaders_podcastOur partner European Leadership Network social media Twitter, LinkedIn & FacebookOur partner European Leadership Network websiteIlana Bet-ElCredits
Production: Florence FerrandoMusic: Let Good Times Roll, RA from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/let-good-times-roll License code: ZXIIIJUU2ISPZIJTHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Puuttuva jakso?
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The 2024 US elections were unique. From the last minute candidacy of Kamala Harris through the assassination attempt of Donald Trump to the sheer amount of money involved -- over US$ 15 billion -- events moved at an amazing speed, resulting in an unexpected definitive win for Trump and the Republican Party.
Understanding what truly happened and capturing the real atmosphere across the U.S. may still be challenging, but necessary. To do this, Ilana Bet-El welcomes Elena Schneider, National Political Reporter at Politico U.S. Elena shares insights drawn from her extensive experience covering this and previous U.S. elections, touching on the current political landscape, media fragmentation, and how perceptions of power and strength remain deeply embedded in the electorate.
This episode was recorded on 14 November 2024
Mentions and further resources
Our episode on Georgia electionsThe show All in the Family centers on a working-class White American family living in Queens, New York. Its patriarch, Archie Bunker is an outspoken, narrow-minded man, seemingly prejudiced against everyone not like him or his ideas of how people should be.Proportion of women in Congress Cost of 2024 US electionsFollow our guest
Elena Schneider X/Twitter & LinkedInAll her recent stories on PoliticoYou can also follow us
Instagram @women_leaders_podcastOur partner European Leadership Network social media Twitter, LinkedIn & FacebookOur partner European Leadership Network websiteIlana Bet-ElCredits
Production: Florence FerrandoMusic: Let Good Times Roll, RA from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/let-good-times-roll License code: ZXIIIJUU2ISPZIJTHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Election results should never be a foregone conclusion, and democratic upsets are a healthy feature of the system. Nonetheless, when the incumbent pro-Russian governing party in Georgia declared itself the winner of national elections on 26 October, with some 54% of the vote, there was a massive outcry: polls had predicted a win for the opposition. This is a huge setback for the cause of democracy in the state â and the region, given that just a week earlier, a referendum on European integration in Moldova had ended with a tiny margin of victory for the pro-EU camp when a near landslide had been predicted.
The tentacles of autocracy are clearly reaching far and wide, tightening their grip upon the states surrounding Ukraine and bordering Europe â threatening both. To delve into these issues, Ilana Bet-El is joined by Salome Samadashvili, opposition Member of Parliament in Georgia, and Tinatin Japaridze, member of the Younger Generation Leaders Network (YGLN) and Eurasia Analyst at the Eurasia Group. This is a hard-hitting discussion on Georgia, the region, autocracy and democracy, covered with clarity, intellect and empathy.
This episode was recorded on 31 October 2024
Mentions and further resources
Salomeâs previous episode Georgia on the edgeTinatinâs book Stalinâs Millennials: Nostalgia, Trauma and NationalismFollow our guests
Tinatin Japaridze LinkedIn, X/Twitter, Eurasie websiteSalome Samadashvil LinkedIn; X/TwitterYou can also follow us
Instagram @women_leaders_podcastOur partner European Leadership Network social media Twitter, LinkedIn & FacebookOur partner European Leadership Network websiteIlana Bet-ElCredits
Production**:** Florence FerrandoMusic: Let Good Times Roll, RA from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/let-good-times-roll License code: ZXIIIJUU2ISPZIJTHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The speed of events in the disaster zone that is currently the Middle East is unrelenting. Just as attention was focused on Lebanon and refocused on Gaza, Israel announced the death of Yahiya Sinwar, head of Hamas and architect of the attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023. Across the West, and possibly beyond, this development was viewed with relief - if only because it may allow for a hostage deal to finally occur. But in Iran, the death called for the mourning of a Martyr. This is not by chance: Iran is a major protagonist in the region.
From two missile attacks on Israel, to supporting Hizbollah, Hamas and the Houthis â Iran is perceived to be a malign presence across the Middle East, especially from the Western perspective. This is undoubtedly underpinned by its broken relations with the US, which dates back to the 1979-81 hostage crisis, coupled with its current closer relationship with China while also supplying armaments to Russia in its war of aggression against Ukraine.
These are difficult positions for the Western mind, but they stem from the Iranian interest and perspective. To better understand both interest and perspective, Ilana Bet-El is joined by Dr Roxane Farmanfarmaian of Cambridge University in a strong and enlightening discussion that touches on the history of Iran and its international position since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, through the Iran-Iraq war of the 1990s, all the way to understanding its regional and global interests today.
This episode was recorded on 14 October 2024
Mentions
The Iran hostage crisisâA Brief History of Israeli-Iranian Cooperation and Confrontationâ and âHow Iran and Israel became archenemiesâRoxaneâs inspiration: An American Ramble: A Walk of Memory and Renewal by Neil King JrFollow:
Roxane Farmanfarmaian LinkedIn, book âBlood & Oil: A Princeâs Memoir of Iran"Instagram @women_leaders_podcastEuropean Leadership Network Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook & websiteIlana Bet-ElCredits
Production: Florence FerrandoMusic: Let Good Times Roll UppbeatHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The constant escalation in the Middle East shows no signs of abating. October 7 marks a year since Hamas viciously invaded southern Israel, while October 8 is a year since Hezbollah started firing rockets into the north of Israel in support of Hamas. A year of unspeakable violence in Israel, Gaza and now Lebanon, rounded off by Iran firing some 200 ballistic missiles into Israel this week. A year of deaths and destruction for Palestinians, Israelis and Lebanese people.
In this unique episode Women Leaders is building a bridge: Fania Oz-Salzberger, Professor of history at Haifa University and renowned public intellectual, and Roula from Beirut â her name for security purposes â join Ilana Bet-El In a fascinating, passionate and hard hitting episode. From explanations about Lebanese and Israeli politics to calls for women in decision making, and from the depths of despair to a future day in a new Middle East, this is the discussion necessary to understand the problems and the people of the region.
This episode was recorded on 2 October 2024
Mentions and further resources
Peace NowFaniaâs article on Israeli perceptions on U.S ElectionWe asked after the recording our guestsâ recommendations, just below:
Faniaâs recommendation âWe will dance againâ (trailer of the movie)Follow our guests:
Fania Oz-Salzberger X/Twitter, LinkedIn, and academic publications (Academia.eu)For security reasons, we cannot follow Roula from BeirutFollow us
Instagram @women_leaders_podcastOur partner European Leadership Network social media Twitter, LinkedIn & FacebookOur partner European Leadership Network websiteIlana Bet-ElCredits
Production: Florence FerrandoMusic: Let Good Times Roll, RA from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/let-good-times-rollHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Russiaâs war of aggression in Ukraine is in its third year, with no end in sight. The Russian offensive in the East of Ukraine grinds on, consuming a mass of men and materiel on both sides while its conquest proceeds in tiny paces. The only surprise of the past few months was the Ukrainian incursion into Russia, taking a small square of the Kursk region. It is no minor achievement, not least given that Russia has not been invaded since WWII, and that the Kursk region is where the biggest tank battle â and one of the biggest battles ever â took place in the summer of 1943 between the then Soviet Union and Germany. But ultimately, the war grinds on, with Russia intensifying its drone attacks as well as ground assaults, ably supplied by Iranian drones and materiel, shored up by offerings from North Korea, and aided in a circuitous way by purchases of raw materials and weapons made through third countries, so circumventing western sanctions.
Ukraine is fighting back, using its own drones and weaponry in Russia and trying to fend off the invading Russian forces with the aid of Western weapons in Ukraine. But it is not enough. Between the fighting and the massive Russian drone and missile strikes at its energy grid now happening nearly daily, reality is difficult. And worse. To get a deep insight into this reality and what is both happening and should be happening to change the situation, Ilana Bet-El is joined by Lisa Yasko, Member of the Ukrainian Rada (parliament) and Head of the Ukrainian delegation to the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly. In a frank and revealing conversation, Lisa reflects on the war from its start, the daily reality in Ukraine, and the shortcomings of the international community.
This episode was recorded on 18 September 2024
Follow our guests:
Lisa Yasko X/Twitter & InstagramYou can also follow us
Instagram @women_leaders_podcastOur partner European Leadership Network social media Twitter, LinkedIn & FacebookOur partner European Leadership Network websiteIlana Bet-ElCredits
Production: Florence FerrandoMusic: Let Good Times Roll, RA from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/let-good-times-roll License code: ZXIIIJUU2ISPZIJTSupported by a grant from the Foundation Open Society Institute in cooperation with the Open Society FoundationsHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Summer used to be a period of quiet. The sun shone â or not â and holidays were taken, events slowed to a nearly non-existent pace, and newsrooms had to deal with what was known as the âsilly seasonâ. No longer. Whether because events really have become more dramatic or whether because we know about them immediately due to the constant digital connections, this past summer was an example of constant and rapid events: From the assassination attempt on Donald Trump to the sudden rise of Kamala Harris, both now presidential candidates in the US; and from the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza/Israel to the hardening of the China-Russia partnership in the face of the west â the world carried on spinning unabated, and at speed.
To get a closer insight into events in the US and the Middle East, Ilana Bet-El is joined by Jodi Rudoren, Editor in Chief of the Forward and former New York Times Bureau Chief in Jerusalem. In a strong and flowing conversation they move through the rapidly changing realities of US politics and the changing gender roles within them; the prospects of both presidential candidates policies on wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and the appalling lack of women in the negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians â and elsewhere too.
This episode was recorded 5 September 2024
Mentions and further resources
Jodi and Roxanne's previous conversationFollow our guests:
Jodi Rudoren LinkedIn & X/TwitterThe Forward websiteYou can also follow us
Instagram @women_leaders_podcastOur partner European Leadership Network social media Twitter, LinkedIn & FacebookOur partner European Leadership Network websiteIlana Bet-ElCredits
Production: Florence FerrandoMusic: Let Good Times Roll, RA from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/let-good-times-rollLicense code: ZXIIIJUU2ISPZIJTSupported by a grant from the Foundation Open Society Institute in cooperation with the Open Society FoundationsHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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We know some of you have been wondering where we've been. Rest assured, Women Leaders will be back very soon.
Get ready for more extraordinary conversations with inspiring women experts this September. Stay tuned!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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July 2024 may end up being remembered for various reasons, such as wars in Ukraine, Israel and Gaza or the launch of the Arianne 6 rocket by the European Space Agency or the floods in Western Europe and the extreme heat in the eastern Mediterranean, all caused by climate change. At this point however, these are the backdrop to another set of events: elections and summits. In this year of elections around the globe it is perhaps unsurprising that two polls happened suddenly: in both the UK and France the heads of government called unexpected elections. In the UK this resulted in a massive won for the Labour Party, ending 14 years of Conservative rule. In contrast in France the outcome was stalemate: no-one won outright. While many in France and outside it are trying to define what this means, NATO members are meeting in Washington to mark the 75th anniversary of the alliance. To navigate these elections and summits, Ilana Bet-El is joined by Jane Kinninmont, Director of Policy and Impact at The European Leadership Network, and Florence Ferrando, producer of this podcast and Senior Consultant in Cyber and Strategic Intelligence at Forward Global.
This episode was recorded on July 11 2024.
Mentions
Janeâs inspiration: Gareth Southgate
Florenceâs inspiration: Swann PĂ©risssĂ© show on French elections - Youtube
First past the post elections vs Two round system
UK election results /France election results
NATO Washington summit declaration
Jane's SWP paper on NATO and its southern neighbourhood
Follow our guests
Jane Kinninmont: LinkedIn, Twitter/X
Florence Ferrando: Linkedin
You can also follow
Our Instagram
Our partner European Leadership Network Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook & website
Ilana Bet-El
Credits
Production:Florence Ferrando
Music: Let Good Times Roll (ZXIIIJUU2ISPZIJT)
Supported by the Foundation Open Society Institute in cooperation with the Open Society Foundations
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The focus on the defence aspects of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine often draws attention from the economic war taking place in parallel. Every few weeks the US or the EU drop another packet of sanctions on Russia, in attempts to hinder its capacity to pursue the war â and in absolute lockstep a wave of analyses, data and disinformation will appear, largely rubbishing the sanctions and their effects. In this way the EU this week dropped its 14th round of sanctions, and Russia put out another series of messages about the EU harming itself more than Russia. It is a vicious cycle that largely obfuscates not only the success of sanctions but also the broader economic picture of the war â and beyond.
To wade through the data, and make sense of them, Ilana Bet-El welcomes back Agathe Demarais, Senior Policy Fellow for Geoeconomics at the ECFR and the woman who literally wrote the book on sanctions! Moving along economic measures and countermeasures, they tease out in the clearest terms the broader economic context of the war against and Ukraine, as well as the realities of the global economic situation and its future, from demography to corporate interests.
As they say in Cabaret: That clinking, clanking sound / Can make the world go âround!
Recorded on June 18 2024.
Mentions and further resources
Agatheâs inspiration: âLa Horde du Contreventâ Alain DamasioAgatheâs book on sanctionsPrevious episode with Agathe âSanctions all aroundâPrevious episode on Latin AmericaFollow
Agathe Demarais: Linkedin Twitter/XIlana Bet-ElInstagram @women_leaders_podcastOur partner European Leadership Network Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and websiteCredits
Production: Florence Ferrando. Music: Let Good Times Roll
Supported by a grant from the Foundation Open Society Institute in cooperation with the Open Society Foundations
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Between June 6th and 9th, 27 member states held elections for the European Unionâs parliament. With over 300 million eligible voters, the European Unionâs electorate is second only to India in terms of size. However, of these hundreds of millions of potential voters, only 51% voted, an unsurprising figure as democratic participation declines across the West.
Equally unsurprising were the results of the vote, which, as always, resulted in the two major centrist blocs, the European Peopleâs Party (EPP) and the Socialists and Democrats (S&D), maintaining their majorityâwith some support from the Green and Liberal groups.
However, worryingly for some, far-right and nationalist parties also performed well, with the two major groupings (ECR, ID) gaining 134 seats out of a total of 720, representing nearly 20% of all MEPs. This outcome was predicted in the pre-election polls and hasnât shocked many pundits, but the reality of an increased normalisation of nationalist politics in the European Parliament may be sobering for some.
For 20 years now, nationalist and far/extreme right parties have slowly but surely gained electoral and political legitimacy. In recent years, such parties have won elections in the Netherlands, Italy, and Slovakia, and they sit in government in Finland, Sweden, and a few other countries as well. In all member states, nationalist parties sit in parliament, and their rhetoric has entered mainstream political discourses.
In France, this outcome has had especially profound repercussions, as President Macron has now called for snap elections in response to the major losses experienced by his Renaissance party to Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardellaâs National Rally party.
How did Europe â and indeed many other countries in the democratic world â come to this? Are mainstream politicians getting it wrong, or are they just of poor quality? Is there a better way forward? To answer these and many other such questions, Ilana Bet-El is joined by Catherine Fieschi, an expert on populism and European politics, in a lively and deeply probing conversation.
Recorded on June 13 2024.
Mentions
Catherineâs inspiration: âHomage to Cataloniaâ George OrwellCatherineâs book âPopulocracy"Global social media users (April 2024): 5.07 billion, equating to 62.6% of global population. Meta had by far the most users (Facebook 3 billion, WhatsApp and Instagram 2 billion each) with Youtube, owned by Google, next at 2.5 billion.Follow
Catherine Fieschi Linkedin, Twitter/XInstagram @women_leaders_podcastOur partner ELN Twitter, LinkedIn & websiteCredits
Production: Florence Ferrando. Music: Let Good Times RollSupported by a grant from the Foundation Open Society Institute in cooperation with the Open Society FoundationsHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The third year of war often suggests two harsh realities: that the war is, by definition, long and that it is not yet over. Think 1917 in World War I or 1942 in World War II. Ukraine is in year three of defending itself against the full-scale Russian invasion that started in February 2022. It fended off the Russian forces at the start, but since then the war has been quite static with each side achieving small victories at huge expense.
For Russia, this is a war of choice; for Ukraine it is a war of survival. And while soldiers are fighting on the front line, the rest of society is passionately fighting in every other way for a free, democratic and independent Ukraine â as host Ilana Bet-El found on a visit to Kyiv in May 2024. Every conversation is about the war, and the fight to join the democratic world. To get a sense of this spirit she is joined in this episode by Inna Pidluska, Deputy Executive Director of the International Renaissance Foundation in Ukraine, and Anna Kovalenko, former member of the Ukrainian Parliament and a prominent civic activist.
To find out what Ukraine means to Ukrainians, what the West means to them, and what Russia means to them â hint: they are fed up of sharing their history with Russia â listen to this lively and passionate conversation to hear the full discussion.
This episode was recorded on May 26 2024.
Mentions and further resources
Innaâs inspiration: âThe Rise of Ukraineâs Sunâ by Kateryna ZaremboAnnaâs inspiration: Ukrainians and her daughterFollow our guests:
Inna Pidluska Linkedin & Twitter/XAnna Kovalenko Wikipedia & Twitter/XInternational Renaissance Foundation websiteYou can also follow us
Instagram @women_leaders_podcastOur partner European Leadership Network social media Twitter, LinkedIn & FacebookOur partner European Leadership Network websiteIlana Bet-ElCredits
Production: Florence FerrandoMusic: Let Good Times Roll, RA from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/let-good-times-rollLicense code: ZXIIIJUU2ISPZIJTSupported by a grant from the Foundation Open Society Institute in cooperation with the Open Society FoundationsHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In a year of big elections, in which approximately half the global population is going to the polls at one time or another, the EU elections stand out: upwards of 300 million eligible voters out of a population of nearly 450 million people across 27 states. A transnational bonanza of democracy that will take place between 6-9 June. 720 seats are up for grabs in the European Parliament, and once the results and balance of power in that institution are decided, the composition of the European Commission and the leadership of the European Council will be negotiated, or wrangled over. Confused?
Anna Davreux, a ten-year veteran of the European Parliament and now Senior Vice President and Partner at Fleishman-Hillard Brussels, guides Ilana across the realities and complexities of the Parliament and all EU institutions. In a fun and fascinating discussion, the basics of the European Union, and democracy, are exposed, explained, and extolled. The European Parliament, as the EU in general, may seem opaque and difficult to understand, but it does work â for everyone!
Recorded on 15 May 2024
Mentions and further resources
Facts and figures on life in the European UnionEuropean Parliament âEU elections: how many MEPs will each EU country get in 2024?âEU Transparency RegisterAnnaâs recommendation â âEmpireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britainâ by Sathnam Sanghera (book review by LSE)Follow
Anna Davreux LinkedInIlana Bet-ElFleishman Hillard Brussels websiteInstagram @women_leaders_podcastOur partner European Leadership Network social media Twitter, LinkedIn Facebook & websiteCredits
Production: Florence FerrandoMusic: Let Good Times RollSupported by a grant from the Foundation Open Society Institute in cooperation with the Open Society FoundationsHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In our world of disruption, Georgia has suddenly emerged as another centre of protest and imbalance: on Wednesday, 1 May, the Georgian parliament voted for controversial new legislation that would brand Western-funded NGOs as foreign agents. In response, the streets of Georgia, notably the capital Tbilisi, erupted into protest: not only is the legislation deemed objectionable, it is also a clear threat to Georgiaâs EU aspirations.
In December last year the European Union announced Georgia, a pearl of the Caucasus, would become a candidate for membership. But in response to this new legislation, the EU this week called on Georgia to stay the course and stop the legislative process. The government is perceived to be pro-Russian, and it is unclear whether it will pay heed, but the many protesters appear adamant about maintaining their dream of EU membership â in line with every poll conducted in the state over decades, reflecting the fact that a vast majority of the population seeks to be firmly embedded in the EU and the West.
To understand these rapidly unfolding events, Ilana Bet-El is joined by Salome Samadashvili, a prominent opposition member of the Georgian parliament and former ambassador of Georgia to the EU. Is this a repetition of events in Ukraine in 2014, when citizens objected to attempts by their Russian-controlled President to hamper relations with the EU â attempts that led to the Maidan Revolution, the ouster of the President and the annexation of Crimea by Russia â or is this a blind political ploy of a weak government? In this volatile region, all developments are crucial.
Recorded on 2 May 2024
Mentions
Intâl hacking group "Anonymousâ threatens Georgian police and govât officials Georgia Today articleThe Guardian live on Georgia eventsFollow our guest:
Salome Samadashvili LinkedIn, X/TwitterInstagram @women_leaders_podcastOur partner ELN Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook & websiteIlana Bet-ElCredits
Production: Florence Ferrando
Music: Let Good Times Roll, RA from #Uppbeat ZXIIIJUU2ISPZIJT
Supported by a grant from the Foundation Open Society Institute in cooperation with the Open Society Foundations
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The 7 October attack by Hamas on Israel changed the Middle East â and the world. The sheer brutality of the attack and the overwhelming response of Israel threw many assumptions about the Israel-Palestine conflict into disarray. As well as relations between Israel and the Arab and Muslim worlds, relations within the Arab and Muslim worlds, and relations between Israel and the US, Europe, and many other parts of the world. At the same time, these geopolitical events have been mirrored by marked rises in antisemitism and Islamophobia.
Six months into the war, escalation has become the keyword, with each instance of destruction, killing, and outrage assumed to be the worst â from murder, rape and hostage-taking to mass destruction, killing and significant aid shortages â right up until the next example of human suffering comes along. A new height of escalation was reached on the night of Saturday, 13 April, when Iran directly attacked Israel with a swarm of drones, ballistic missiles and surface-to-surface missiles: a new reality in both warfare and global politics was born.*
The Intertwined elements of the war, the region, the world, the personal, the political and the consequences are difficult to discuss. However, Ilana Bet-El is joined by two amazing women who do just that: Jodi Rudoren, Editor-in-Chief of the Forward and former New York Times Bureau Chief in Israel, and Dr Roxane Farmanfarmaian of Cambridge University and the Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education, Senior Associate Fellow at the ELN, and an expert on Iran and the Middle East. In a free and fascinating exchange, they highlight their own experiences of 7 October, their reactions to the war in Gaza, the implications for the media, geopolitics and the region, and their sense of why everyone cares so much about this conflict above all others. Take a deep breath and dive into their knowledge, wit, insights, and powerful exchanges.
*Despite recording on 18 April before the release of the episode on 19 April, there was yet a further escalation with an apparent Israeli counterattack on Iran.
Mentions and further resources
Check on ELN pageFollow
Jodi: page on The ForwardRoxane: articles on ELNThe Forward website@women_leaders_podcastOur partner Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook & websiteCredits
Production: Florence Ferrando
Music: Let Good Times Roll
Supported by a grant from the Foundation Open Society Institute in cooperation with the Open Society Foundations
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The results of Turleyâs recent local elections (31st March 2024) came as a great surprise. Pre-election polling suggested the AKP party of President Erdogan was on course to win, but instead, the main opposition CHP party swept up an impressive number of cities and towns, notably the ten major cities of the country, which collectively represent over 74% of Turkeyâs GDP. This is a massive shift in the countryâs political landscape, signalling a potential call for deep change. Put another way: has Turkey reached a critical juncture after two decades under the Erdogan regime?
Zeynep Atikkan, senior Turkish journalist, joins Ilana Bet-El in a discussion of this and many other questions about the Turkish electoral and political landscape. From economic concerns, the Kurdish issue, and generational shifts, to civil society engagement, womenâs roles, protests, media influence, and evolving political dynamics â the underpinning realities of Turkish politics are revealed and discussed; not least the weakened position of President Erdogan and his AKP party.
Recorded on 4 April 2024
Referenced materials and further reading
Zeynepâs booksSinem DedetaĆ, the new elected mayor of ĂskĂŒdar in Istanbulâs Twitter accountâTurkiye has elected youngest Major in its historyâ Middle East MonitorâTurkey gains new wave of female mayors after oppositionâs poll successâ ReutersZeynepâs TwitterZeynepâs LinkedInFollow
Instagram @women_leaders_podcastOur partner European Leadership Network social media Twitter, LinkedIn & FacebookOur partner European Leadership Network websiteIlana Bet-ElCredits
Production: Florence FerrandoMusic: Let Good Times Roll, RA from #UppbeatSupported by a grant from the Foundation Open Society Institute in cooperation with the Open Society FoundationsHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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2024 has already been defined as the year of elections: from Russia through the EU to the US, autocracies, dictatorships and democracies, billions of people are going to the polls. And one of the biggest upcoming elections is due in India: with 968 million registered voters, 15 million elections officials and 1.2 million polling booths, it will be the largest exercise in logistics and democracy the world has ever seen.
But there are problems â in India, and many other democracies. Dr. Radha Kumar, renowned Indian policy analyst, public intellectual and writer specialised in ethnic conflicts and peace processes, who recently convened the Delhi Democracy Convention, joins Ilana Bet-El in an exploration of Indiaâs democratic crossroads. From inter-ethnic tensions to political power plays and media freedom, the flowing conversation explains much about the sub-continent, and the state of democracies far beyond.
Recorded on 18 March 2024
Mentions
Delhi Declaration (Democracy Convention 2024) & articles in Frontline ; The Wire and The HinduRadhaâs inspiration: Dhruv Ratheeâs Youtube channel (Hindi with English subtitles)Radhaâs book recommendation: Waves Across the South by Sujit SivasundaramRadhaâs books and follow her on Twitter for the next one published in May!Follow
Instagram @women_leaders_podcastOur partner European Leadership Network social media Twitter, LinkedIn & FacebookOur partner European Leadership Network websiteIlana Bet-ElCredits
Production: Florence Ferrando
Music: Let Good Times Roll, RA from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!)
Supported by a grant from the Foundation Open Society Institute in cooperation with the Open Society Foundations
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Women Leaders is back! The podcast that showcases women experts returns, in our new home at the European Leadership Network (ELN).
To mark the move, and International Womenâs Day (IWD), we welcome back Rose Gottemoeller, former Deputy Secretary General of NATO, to discuss the state of the world. From Russiaâs full-scale invasion of Ukraine to the disruption in the Middle East, from Russian autocracy to US politics, this episode is the definitive grand sweep of global geopolitics. The (dire) state of democracy, competitiveness in defence industries, and economic challenges â these and many other issues come to light in discussion with host and Senior Associate Fellow at the European Leadership Network, Ilana Bet-El. And as a bonus for IWD, find out who are Women of Mass Destruction â and what may be too pink!
Reference materials
Roseâs Women Leaders episode on 8 March 2022Report of the US Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United StatesWomen Leaders - Latin America on the Global StageFinancial Times âGeneral Mark Milley âAmericans have kind of had it warsââYou can also follow us
Instagram @women_leaders_podcastOur partner European Leadership Network social media Twitter, LinkedIn & FacebookIlana Bet-ElRose GottemoellerCredits
Production: Florence FerrandoMusic: Let Good Times Roll, RA from #Uppbeat (License code: ZXIIIJUU2ISPZIJT)Supported by a grant from the Foundation Open Society Institute in cooperation with the Open Society FoundationsHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Introducing the Women Leaders podcast! This short trailer gives you a taste of whatâs to comeâ unformal conversations hosted by Ilana Bet-El with extradordinay women. Tune in avery other Friday with them, ready to decode world mysteries and hottest topics of the day!
Support us, contribute to the conversation or share your topic wishes with a comment & a 5-âïžReach us on our Instagram and follow for updates @women_leaders_podcastProudly partnered with European Leadership Network: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and websiteSupported by a grant from the Foundation Open Society Institute in cooperation with the Open Society FoundationsHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
