The Foreign Desk
Monocle’s global-affairs show with Andrew Mueller. Expert guests, in-depth analysis, and sharp commentary on major geopolitical issues.
Latest Episodes
Who is António Guterres?
António Guterres will be the next secretary-general of the UN. His appointment was surprising in a number of ways – for a start, he had the full public support of the Security Council. But…
The Dutch and the far-right
Next year one of the most liberal nations in the world, the Netherlands, will hold an election that could see a far-right politician come out on top. We learn how even if Geert Wilders…
‘The Good Immigrant’
The immigration debate in the UK is, like in so many countries around the world, not known for its nuance. Charged with racism and the fear of ‘otherness’, it seems that a nation that…
UN peacekeeping
The men and women of the UN are the civilised world’s last line of defence against war and chaos. Yet looking at Rwanda, Somalia, Darfur and South Sudan, we know that UN peacekeeping doesn’t…
Europe’s left-wing insurgents
Since the global financial crisis of 2008 a wave of left-wing populist parties have sprung up across Europe. But nearly a decade on very few have managed to break through and win elections. Instead…
Renzi’s gamble
Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi has called a referendum on his country’s constitution. But while most Italians agree that change is needed, polls suggest that Renzi may lose. Why? The economy is in trouble,…
Spotlight on Angola
When José Eduardo Dos Santos first came to power in Angola, Jimmy Carter was president of the US and Leonid Brezhnev was leader of the Soviet Union. Some 37 years later Dos Santos’s grip…
Ukraine: 25 years of independence
It has not been an easy quarter-century; Ukraine has had to contend with revolutions and counter-revolutions, endemic corruption, unaccountable oligarchs and splits within the country. The Minsk agreement between Ukraine and Russia is under…
The fight for Aleppo
This is a divided city: the west is controlled by the Assad government, the east held by rebels. And if either side eventually wins it could have a dramatic effect on the outcome of…
Are the Olympics still worth it?
Now that the Olympics Games have begun, what better time to ask why cities so desperately want to host it? We discuss Toronto’s failed bids and Antwerp 1920 in the days when small cities…
