"Only Sabine Weyand, the Commission's chief trade negotiator, remained stern-faced," notes Thorsten Benner about the photo of Trump and Von der Leyen following the unequal trade agreement between the EU and the US. For the director of the Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi) in Berlin, "Brussels is only as strong as its member states allow it to be," and Europe chose to give in to gain time. But he warns: "The impending China shock is much more existential than the Trump shock."

Security expert Alberto Bueno proposes the creation of a European Emergency Unit as a public policy measure to strengthen citizen security and European integration. With permanent brigades and its own resources, it would enable "the consolidation of the promise of European protection." The analyst stresses that "Spain is in a position to promote it and place itself at the forefront of the EU agenda."

The writer and academic will be one of the participants in the upcoming edition of the La Toja Forum, which comes at a pivotal moment for atlantic relations. In a context of a "right-wing revolution against the liberal state and its achievements," the former Canadian politician calls for "political will" to address the "gulf" between "social expectations" and the "revenue capacity of the liberal state." And while he does not ask leaders to do "what we do not ask of ourselves", he places his trust in those who have "the courage to take an unpopular path and stick to it till it turns out to be the right path."

Javi López, Vice-President of the European Parliament and Social Democrat MEP, laments that the trade agreement reached between European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, and US President, Donald Trump, "is unbalanced in its substance and degrading in its form." "The pact accepts impositions unworthy of a longtime ally and represents an alarming decline in autonomy for the European continent. For the EU, this agreement is nothing short of a vast strategic mortgage", he denounces.

According to MEP Hana Jalloul, the European Union "has compromised its moral and political credibility" by failing to adopt "a coherent and decisive position" to halt "escalation in the Middle East" via sanctions on Israel and guarantees to "protect human rights". Furthermore, given the current geopolitical context, the EU must "take an active role", configure a unified approach, and rely on "strategic alliances" with the Gulf countries and other partners.

Jonás Fernández, MEP and S&D coordinator, argues that the success of the euro and the advance of integration have left the Eurogroup "without a raison d'être", which has become an intergovernmental "obstacle" to the deepening of the economic union.

The PP MEP Adrián Vázquez Lázara stresses that international trade has been "the real engine that has allowed us to achieve the longest period of peace, stability, and prosperity in our history". He praises the single market as "one of the greatest achievements" of the EU. Aware that the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Trump administration and "dependence on third countries" have brought to light "fissures", he calls for "more integration, more strategic investment and recovering the self-esteem of the founding spirit".

New alliance to position Spain before European institutions. 'Agenda Pública' and Prensa Ibérica, the leading group in regional and local press in our country, are launching a new joint phase in Brussels: for the first time, Spanish media will have a physical presence in the European capital with regular activities. This marks a milestone in the Spanish media landscape, aimed both at strengthening Spain's influence at a critical moment for the world and at fostering a better understanding of the geopolitical situation among Spanish citizens.

The 'Staatsräson', which has defined Germany's support for Israel, has become an excuse for blind support for Netanyahu's government. Thorsten Benner, director of the GPPi, argues that it is time to abandon this anachronistic formula and open a nuanced debate to better substantiate Israel's security, the two-state solution and the fight against anti-Semitism.

Verónica Delgadillo, mayor of Guadalajara, Mexico, converses with 'Agenda Pública' during her tour of Europe. In an international scenario marked by geopolitical uncertainty, she defends a vision of international cooperation in which cities take on a leading role: building bridges, innovating and leading.

The PP MEP Adrián Vázquez Lázara believes that "the European left, instead of adapting and building solutions, has been trapped in protest and puritanism, without a roadmap for the day after stopping the extreme right". Against this, he calls for a centre-right that is committed to Europe, to "social cohesion", to the rule of law and to a "market economy that values effort and rewards growth".

Agenda Pública will address the challenges facing Spain and the European Union on a monthly basis in Brussels. Today, we are joined by Social Democrat MEP Hana Jalloul, who is Vice-President of the Socialist International and also the European Parliament's rapporteur for Saudi Arabia. In this conversation with Agenda Pública, Hana Jalloul takes an in-depth look at the European Union's relationship with Arab countries and defends Spain's role: "Being the only European leader invited to the Arab League Summit and making a proposal with the Palestinians to take the blockade of Gaza to the United Nations: that is leadership.*

Poland goes into a crucial presidential run-off that will measure the strength of Donald Tusk's project to restore democracy and the country's weight in Europe. With a narrow lead for the liberal Rafał Trzaskowski over the PiS candidate, Tusk's ability to overcome presidential obstruction and consolidate change is at stake, with important implications for the EU.

This is a newly created position in the European Commission. The new Defense Commissioner, Andrius Kubilius, provides an in-depth analysis of the current situation in Europe in Agenda Pública: "We cannot complain that 340 million Americans do not want to permanently defend 450 million Europeans against 140 million Russians", he states.

After Portugal's third election in three years, radical right Chega has surged to second place. Frederico Ferreira da Silva, Research Fellow at Lisbon's Institute of Social Sciences, analyses the results and Chega's choice: back a centre-right government or follow the Meloni way and lead the opposition in a country facing mounting socio-economic challenges.

It promises growth, strengthens Europe's global projection and brings two continents closer together. But the EU-Mercosur agreement is still stuck, with France leading the opposition and the agricultural sector on the warpath. Economist Miguel Ortiz explores why this pact remains unsigned and what role Spain can play in breaking the deadlock.

Stan Veuger is a senior economist at the American Enterprise Institute, one of the leading think tanks in the United States and one of the global thinkers most critical of Donald Trump's economic policies. Veuger, who is also a visiting professor at Harvard and a columnist for the New York Times, talks in depth with Antonio López Isturiz, MEP for the European People's Party and member of the executive committee of the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, on Agenda Pública. A transatlantic conversation promoted from Spain.

Friedrich Merz's coalition faces strong pressure to stabilise Germany and redefine its economic model, in a context of stagnation, political fragmentation and the rise of the AfD. Agenda Pública analyses the challenges facing the new government alongside Jeremy Cliffe and Thorsten Benner.

Political analyst Niranjan Marjani examines tensions between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor. He warns of the risk of escalation and stresses that the instability stems from Pakistan's support for terrorism, despite an international context favourable to India and Pakistan's domestic weaknesses.

Raffaele Madaio (PhD Candidate, Universidad de Granada; European Doctoral School on CSDP; Università degli Studi Guglielmo Marconi) analyzes the EU's deepening defence reliance on the US amid recent conflicts and political shifts. He advocates for market integration and joint financing to strengthen the EDTIB and achieve real strategic autonomy.

He was President of the European Commission and Prime Minister of Italy. Romano Prodi is a key figure in understanding the construction of Europe. In 'Agenda Pública' we talk to him about the current international situation to analyse Pedro Sánchez's trip to Beijing, Giorgia Meloni's visit to Washington and the role of Spain and the EU in these decisive weeks for the world.

The passing of Mario Vargas Llosa, a key figure in 20th century literature and one of the most universal Peruvians, leaves behind a legacy as vast as it is complex, spanning literature, politics, and Latin American social history. This obituary is signed by American researcher J. P. Carroll.

The free movement of people—one of the cornerstones of the EU's Single Market—has brought real benefits, but also some overlooked downsides for both countries of origin and destination. Catherine Barnard, Professor of European Law at Cambridge, draws on the Letta report's call for a 'freedom to stay' to argue that the EU must live up to its promise of shared prosperity for all its citizens.

Marine Le Pen's conviction for embezzlement has taken her party, Rassemblement National, by surprise, and it is now paying the price of hyper-personalisation around its leader, warns Giovanni Capoccia, Professor of Comparative Politics at Oxford University.

Adrián Vázquez Lázara, Vice-Chair of the European Parliament's Constitutional Affairs Committee, regrets that "collective security, the rule of law, the promotion of democracy and trade are no longer a priority" for the new US administration. In the face of Trump, who "appears to lack any will to lead the world", the MEP calls for unity in the European Union.

Javier Colomina, the highest-ranking Spaniard in NATO, analyses in a conversation with 'Agenda Pública' the future of the Alliance at a pivotal moment. As Deputy Assistant Secretary General and Special Representative for the Southern Neighbourhood, he discusses with our director, Marc López Plana, the challenges in defence, the impact of Trump's return and the relationship with the countries of the South.

Following a recent mission as the European Parliament's rapporteur for Saudi Arabia, Hana Jalloul MEP warns that the EU must "overcome its internal divisions and define a unified strategy" in the Middle East and not settle for "a marginal role". The EU needs to strengthen economic, technological and intelligence cooperation and the fight against terrorism, without forgetting "the promotion of human rights and sustainable development".

Germany and Europe must prepare for a tough confrontation with Trump. As Thorsten Benner, co-founder and director of the Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi) in Berlin, suggests, there are valuable lessons to be learned from Canada’s determination and resolve.

The withdrawal of US support for Ukraine has set off alarm bells in Europe, prompting an awakening in its defence policy. This strategic shift could mark the beginning of a reconfiguration of Europe's role on the global stage. Joe Zammit-Lucia, co-founder of the think tank Radix, argues that this new paradigm demands flexible coalitions with key allies, leaving behind isolationism and excessive bureaucracy.

"Geographical knowledge is deeply strategic because understanding how a space is constructed is crucial to exercising power over it." This is the view of Kevin Limonier, founder of Cassini, the company behind what he calls "the private implementation of the French School of Geopolitics." Today in Agenda Pública, we speak with Limonier and his executive team in Spain about their system, which also enables the mapping of "digital platforms and cyberspace," which, he warns, "are now the continuity of geographical space." And he cautions: "The United States holds a topological hegemony over Europe because our data passes through American networks or machines."