POLITICO Confidential: The most influential people in Brussels – POLITICO Europe

Dear readers,

As the world heats up, the political temperature rises apace. Riots in France, armed mutiny in Russia, a grinding counteroffensive in Ukraine and political chaos in Spain. These are just some of the stories POLITICO is delivering in Europe — in addition to all our excellent granular policy, legislative and regulatory coverage.

I’ve had a whole series of conversations this week with various interested parties about our approach to news and how we structure our newsroom. One thing that really defines our model and is very hard for other organizations to mimic is the large team of policy-focused POLITICO Pro reporters and editors that form the backbone of our news operation. These specialists really are our secret weapon when it comes to being first on major political stories. That is because they cover legislative and regulatory developments in key power centers — Brussels, London, Paris, Berlin (not to mention Washington, D.C., Sacramento, Chicago, New York etc.) — from genesis to promulgation and implementation so they know about a political fight or showdown long before it bubbles up into the mainstream media.

Their work is also an essential service for anyone who works full-time in politics — from legislators and civil servants to lobbyists and litigators. If that sounds like you and you don’t yet have a subscription then you are already losing to your competitors! Check it out here for a demo.

This level of coverage also allows us to produce brilliant pieces of journalism like this explainer into the disappearing text messages of the European Commission president, as well as this wonderful podcast on the scourge of HIV in prisons.

Speaking of which, we have a very special recorded interview coming up in two weeks that you will not want to miss if you have any interest at all in geopolitics, espionage, tradecraft or James Bond. I’ll tell you more about it soon but suffice to say that it could not be more timely and in a more fitting location — Prague — for the subject matter. Watch this space …

For now, bon weekend,

Jamil

**A message from Gilead: Decades of scientific innovation, community partnership, and public health advocacy helped transform HIV from a fatal diagnosis to one that could be managed and prevented. Gilead continues to champion innovations, programs, and partnerships that support the wellness of all people impacted by HIV and strive for health equity until the virus is eliminated. Read more.**

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Power 40 — class of 2023

This was outstanding work to produce three chunky POLITICO 40 lists looking at different power centers across Europe. These lists are a great example of the depth of our coverage, and how plugged in our newsrooms are to the key players shaping politics and policy in Brussels, London and Paris. Read the Brussels list, the Paris list and the London list. 

Tennis has a Russia problem

This deeply reported and beautifully written feature from our political sports desk was a standout of the week. Revealing never-before-reported details about an altercation between two of Russia’s top tennis players, and taking apart the idea that tennis is apolitical, we crafted a true must-read story that made news. Read the story.

Hot, close and unpredictable: Spain braces for chaotic election

This Spanish election curtain-raiser looked at the unusual date of the vote, taking place when nearly a quarter of the electorate is likely to be on holiday far from their polling stations. Add to that the heat and predicted traffic on highways and at post offices, and the result is an election where anything could happen. Read the story.

After the riots, Macron must fix a broken France

Once again, France is cleaning up after a wave of civil unrest. Rioting saw property set ablaze and thousands of people detained or injured, as protests turned violent in the aftermath of the killing of a 17-year-old, Nahel M, by a police officer. Emmanuel Macron tiptoed a fine line between empathy for the victim and his family, and containing the riots. But underneath it all is a deeper question about France. What happens when large sections of the population feel public institutions no longer work for them? Read the story.

Network now, clients later: Lobbyists are in Ukraine eyeing postwar contracts

First, the sandbags. Next up, the carpetbaggers. We cut through the overt pro-bono altruism of the lobbying professionals now flocking to Kyiv as they scope out opportunities to capitalize on Ukraine’s postwar reconstruction bonanza — even though there is no end to the war in sight. Read the story.

Britain and EU agree draft Horizon deal

This was a major scoop revealing U.K. and EU negotiators have at last reached an agreement on Britain’s reentry to the massive European science program Horizon. Another great example of how years of tireless source-building by dedicated beat reporters can deliver in spades when the moment comes. Read the story.

Why Europeans don’t have Threads yet

This piece captured the big talking point of the day — Meta launching its Twitter rival, but not in the EU — in a way that grabbed the attention of a broader audience and at the same time showcased our deep policy expertise on the tech beat. It stood out in the flood of Threads coverage. Read the story. 

YOUR WEEKEND PLAYLIST

EU Confidential: From Madrid: How Spain’s election could impact its EU presidency

This week’s EU Confidential comes to you from Madrid as Spain takes over the six-month presidency of the Council of the EU. Spain’s stint in the rotating chair has been overshadowed by a national election, with Spaniards set to go to the polls on July 23. The podcast team takes the political temperature among voters in the suburb of Alcorcón along with POLITICO’s Jakob Hanke Vela, while political scientist Pablo Simón unpicks some of the political dynamics at play ahead of the election. We also speak to some of the most senior officials in the Spanish government, including Minister for the Ecological Transition Teresa Ribera and First Vice President Nadia Calviño about what to expect over the next six months. For more on how Spain’s summer election might play out, check out this dispatch from POLITICO’s Aitor Hernández-Morales. Listen to the episode.

Westminster Insider: The dark arts of politics

In this episode, host Aggie Chambre explores the clandestine operations, secretive briefing wars and campaign stunts that make up the darker side of politics. She speaks to crossbench peer John Woodcock, who — in a former life — was a Labour Party researcher and occasional undercover spy. Former Downing Street comms boss and News of the World Editor Andy Coulson tells how he took advantage of Gordon Brown’s decision not to call an election with a simple but eye-catching PR stunt. Giles Kenningham explains why political parties will now be building up treasure troves of secret recordings and other destructive data to deploy against their opponents. Former Labour Chief Whip Hilary Armstrong talks about the internal dark arts — underhand techniques used against party colleagues. Commons public administration committee Chair William Wragg and former Deputy Chief Whip Anne Milton explain why they think the dark arts are best left in the past. And Guido Fawkes’ Paul Staines reveals some of the underhand tricks he uses to get his biggest scoops. Listen to the episode.

DECLASSIFIED

Anyone fancy a trip to the Bunga Bunga Museum? Declassified has more on plans for a Berlusconi tourist attraction.

Caption competition

“Good evening and welcome to “Family Feud.” Contestants, please shake hands. Question 1: How many tanks can I have?“

 Can you do better? Email pdallison@politico.eu or on Twitter @pdallisonesque

Last week we gave you this photo:

 Thanks for all the entries. Here’s the best from our postbag — there’s no prize except for the gift of laughter, which I think we can all agree is far more valuable than cash or booze.

“What’s the use of power … once you lose your favorite chef?” by Giovanni Cellini.

**A message from Gilead: Gilead pledges to keep innovating beyond an undetectable viral load and to help support long-term success in HIV care, notably striving for life-long health and quality of life for people living with HIV. This is our promise and our contribution to the cause. However, medical Innovation alone is not enough. It requires collaboration, political commitment, and a shared vision. We must bring together governments, EU institutions, researchers, healthcare providers, industry, civil society organizations, and affected communities to harness the power of innovation and we need supporting policies both at EU and national level. Together, we can end the epidemic for everyone, everywhere. Read more here.**

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