Humiliating Europe: Trump’s culture war and the EU’s response

What do Donald Trump’s culture war, Moldova’s EU ambitions, and Czechia’s upcoming parliamentary election have in common? They all reveal how Europe is being tested — and sometimes humiliated.

In this episode of EU Confidential, host Sarah Wheaton speaks with Paweł Zerka, senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, about his new report. It argues that Trump is waging a deliberate culture war against Europe — trying to weaken the continent, polarize its politics, and strip it of its dignity.

We also bring you a dispatch from Moldova, where POLITICO’s Gabriel Gavin reports on last weekend’s election and what it means for the country’s EU path. And we also zoom in on Czechia’s election with political marketing scholar Anna Shavit in Prague, who unpacks Andrej Babiš’ comeback campaign — and his oddly revealing “shovel theory” of leadership.

Further readings:

Reality show: Why Europe must not cave in Trump’s culture war, by Paweł Zerka

EU must unblock Moldova’s membership bid, government urges after historic vote, by Gabriel Gavin

Pro-EU party secures majority in high-stakes Moldovan election, by Gabriel Gavin

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