European Parliament President Roberta Metsola — Macron on EU — Merkel's next gig

<p>Roberta Metsola, the new president of the European Parliament, is our special guest. We also unpack French President Emmanuel Macron's appearance in the European Parliament and share suggestions for Angela Merkel's next job.</p><p>POLITICO's Andrew Gray, Rym Momtaz and Matthew Karnitschnig analyze Macron's big speech and the subsequent debate with MEPs in Strasbourg, which <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/macron-eu-speech-french-election-campaign-fight/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">turned into</a> a domestic French political brawl. For a fun alternative take on Macron's speech, you can read <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/what-emmanuel-macron-wont-tell-the-european-parliament/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">this POLITICO piece</a> on what the French president <em>wouldn't</em> say and why.</p><p>The podcast crew also discusses the latest developments in the Ukraine crisis and <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/macron-wants-new-euro-russian-security-negotiation/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Macron's vision</a> for European security. And after<a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/germanys-merkel-turns-down-top-un-job-offer/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Angela Merkel turned down </a>an offer to lead a U.N. advisory board on global public goods, we have other ideas for gigs that the former German chancellor might enjoy.</p><p>Our special guest is the newly-elected President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola. The Maltese MEP spoke to POLITICO's Maïa de La Baume just after the vote on Tuesday. Metsola talks about why she got into politics, how she addresses criticism of her anti-abortion views and what she hopes to achieve over the coming years. She also shares some book recommendations including <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/564509/the-world-as-it-is-by-ben-rhodes/#" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">this behind-the-scenes account</a> of the Obama presidency, written by one of his long-time aides, a