Who really runs Europe?

Who really runs Europe? In this podcast, we speak to Follow the Money journalists and other expert voices about the power they hold to account: from corrupt politicians and shady lobbyists to mysterious oligarchs and financial fraudsters. Hosted by Emma du Chatinier.

Episodes

The global crackdown on dirty money is failing

October 14, 2026 • 34 mins

For decades, governments have spent billions of euros to stop money laundering worldwide. But is the system actually stopping financial crime? Emma, together with financial journalist Roel Janssen, speaks to British investigative journalist and author Oliver Bullough about why the anti-money-laundering system is far from doing what it is supposed to do, and who pays the price.

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Football never stopped doing business with Russia

October 7, 2026 • 24 mins

Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Western governments tried to stop business as usual with Russia. In football, the country was banned from major international competitions. But the money flows in football haven’t stopped. Journalist Krijn Schramade found that European clubs continue to do millions of euros worth of business with Russian clubs.

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The fight over Europe’s promise to save forests

September 30, 2026 • 21 mins

A landmark EU law was meant to ensure that products such as coffee, soy, and timber do not fuel deforestation globally. However, the legislation has been watered down and delayed twice – with Brussels blaming IT issues. Journalist Hans Wetzels found that the story went far beyond technical failures.

The EU’s hydrogen dream in Namibia is falling apart

September 23, 2026 • 25 mins

Namibia was supposed to become one of the countries powering Europe’s climate goals: a multibillion-dollar EU-funded project to develop green hydrogen promised jobs and economic growth. But when journalist Olivier van Beemen travelled to Namibia, he found a very different reality.

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Summer series | Hungary’s hotline to the Kremlin

September 3, 2026 • 22 mins

Viktor Orbán has drawn Hungary increasingly close to Russia. But what has been happening behind closed doors between the Hungarian government and Moscow? Investigative network VSquare obtained recordings and transcripts of calls between Hungary’s foreign minister and senior Russian officials, offering a rare glimpse into Hungary-Russia relations and the conversations taking place away from public view. In the final episod...

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Summer series | Exposing a pro-Russian disinformation network

August 27, 2026 • 25 mins

Disinformation campaigns are no longer built around a single false claim or suspicious account. Hundreds of profiles can push the same message simultaneously, creating the illusion of widespread public support. But how can journalists tell the difference between a genuine political movement and a coordinated influence operation? Romanian investigative newsroom Context.ro has built its own software to uncover such networks. During M...

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Summer series | Investigating the killing of journalists in Gaza

August 20, 2026 • 25 mins

Hundreds of Palestinian journalists have been killed in Gaza – making it the deadliest conflict for reporters in decades. Were their deaths an inevitable consequence of Israel’s war, or has the media been deliberately targeted? As part of the Gaza Project, dozens of journalists from around the world joined forces to investigate the killings. Emma and Lise speak to Frederik Obermaier, co-founder of the Munich-based Ger...

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Summer series | From a fish to the fall of Lithuania’s PM

August 13, 2026 • 27 mins

Last year, Lithuanian journalist Šarūnas Černiauskas began investigating his prime minister’s finances. What started as a seemingly small story soon grew into a series of scandals. The government turned against Černiauskas and his colleagues – but they persevered: their reporting ultimately helped force the prime minister to step down. And yet, that wasn’t the end of the story. Emma and Lise speak to Černiauskas...

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Summer series | Profits, not politics, behind AI hate boom

August 6, 2026 • 26 mins

Persecution, corruption, and even murder. In this summer series, Emma du Chatinier and Lise Witteman unpack recent groundbreaking stories by fellow journalists from across Europe. How did their investigations impact society? And what does their journalism reveal about the state of European democracy? In this episode: Journalist Niamh McIntyre went deep into the world of hateful content on social media, investigating the people pos...

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Summer series | They killed the journalist, but not the story

July 30, 2026 • 23 mins

Persecution, corruption, and even murder. In this summer series, Emma du Chatinier and Lise Witteman unpack recent groundbreaking stories by fellow journalists from across Europe. How did their investigations impact society? And what does their journalism reveal about the state of European democracy? In this episode: Slovak investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée – archeologist Martina Kušnírová – were murd...

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The man who sold Brussels the hydrogen dream

July 22, 2026 • 23 mins

Europe set sky-high targets for green hydrogen. Today, it’s nowhere near meeting them. Journalist Jesse Pinster traced Brussels’ big hydrogen bet back to one professor: Ad van Wijk. How did his vision become that of Europe?

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Special: Is Spain really Europe’s progressive poster child?

July 15, 2026 • 29 mins

For many observers across Europe, Spain has become a rare success story – offering hope that progressive politics can still succeed, govern, and project confidence on the world stage. But the reality behind the country’s image as the continent’s left-wing darling is more complicated, Spanish political scientist and activist Elsa Arnaiz says in a special episode.

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PayPal and the business of hate

July 8, 2026 • 25 mins

Far-right groups in Europe are using PayPal to sell merchandise and raise money, despite the payment giant’s own rules prohibiting transactions that promote hate or discrimination. This highlights a broader failure by Big Tech, which is not just turning a blind eye but allowing extremist content to remain on its platforms. Reporting by: Polina Bachlakova.

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Investors flock to Palantir as governments flee

July 1, 2026 • 24 mins

The controversial US company Palantir supplies crucial software to intelligence services, armies and police forces in Europe. European governments are growing nervous about the US firm. Meanwhile, European investors have scaled up their investment in the company.

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Europe’s €2.9 billion tax fraud, explained

June 24, 2026 • 18 mins

When Portuguese investigators looked into a suspicious smartphone trader, they thought they were dealing with an €80 million VAT fraud case. But that small-town raid soon grew into one of Europe’s biggest VAT fraud investigations, involving thousands of companies, hundreds of suspects, and an estimated €2.9 billion in lost tax revenue. Journalist Salsabil Fayed retraced the steps of the alleged fraudsters .

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How US lobbying helped derail Europe’s supply chain rules

June 10, 2026 • 23 mins

When the EU passed its corporate sustainability legislation in 2023, it was hailed as a game-changer for holding companies accountable for abuses in their supply chains. But the law was quickly diluted after industry lobbying. Journalist Hans Wetzels obtained leaked documents suggesting that the U-turn was largely driven by pressure from Washington.

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Betting billions on rising food prices in wartime

June 3, 2026 • 21 mins

The Iran war has upended oil and gas markets and disrupted global supply chains. But the fallout may affect something more fundamental: the price of food. Journalists Ties Gijzel, Remy Koens, and Jan Daalder found that investors have bet billions on agricultural commodities. What could this mean for global food security?

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The cost of influencing EU politics

May 27, 2026 • 24 mins

Manfred Weber is one of the most powerful lawmakers in Brussels. Under his leadership, Europe’s top political family hired two consultants with close ties to Greece’s ruling party. Journalist Simon Van Dorpe found that more than €500,000 was spent in six months, yet results were limited. The affair has raised questions about political spending in the EU and oversight by the European Parliament.

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The billion-euro battle over workers’ wages

May 20, 2026 • 25 mins

The Dutch economy runs on low-paid temporary workers, including large numbers of migrants from countries such as Bulgaria, Poland, and Ukraine. But journalist Lise Witteman found that employment agencies may have underpaid them, in breach of EU law. The sector could now face a bill worth billions of euros as a mass lawsuit looms.

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From community leaders to suspected smugglers

May 13, 2026 • 23 mins

For years, Senegalese community leaders Cheikh Sy and Njouda Ndiaye warned people about the deadly risks of migration to Europe. Then they themselves were arrested for migrant smuggling. Reporter Andrei Popoviciu uncovered that their case is part of a wider EU-funded crackdown on migration.

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Who really runs Europe?

Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}The global crackdown on dirty money is failing

.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}Football never stopped doing business with Russia

The fight over Europe’s promise to save forests

The EU’s hydrogen dream in Namibia is falling apart

Summer series | Hungary’s hotline to the Kremlin

Summer series | Exposing a pro-Russian disinformation network

Summer series | Investigating the killing of journalists in Gaza

Summer series | From a fish to the fall of Lithuania’s PM

Summer series | Profits, not politics, behind AI hate boom

Summer series | They killed the journalist, but not the story

The man who sold Brussels the hydrogen dream

Special: Is Spain really Europe’s progressive poster child?

PayPal and the business of hate

Investors flock to Palantir as governments flee

Europe’s €2.9 billion tax fraud, explained

How US lobbying helped derail Europe’s supply chain rules

Betting billions on rising food prices in wartime

The cost of influencing EU politics

The billion-euro battle over workers’ wages

From community leaders to suspected smugglers

Popular Podcasts

The global crackdown on dirty money is failing

Football never stopped doing business with Russia