The clear victory of Donald Trump, which had been predicted to be a tight race, caught many in the EU by surprise. The first to congratulate him was Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, while on the same day, the German government collapsed. Why, despite his harsh and aggressive rhetoric, was Donald Trump still successful? In times of increasing polarization not only in the US but also in European countries, is the EU prepared for another Trump presidency? What does this mean for the state of US democracy, and how will the change of power in the US affect transatlantic relations? What are the implications for European security, and how will this reflect on the international stage, where two major wars are ongoing in Ukraine and the Middle East? These and other questions are explored in the 25th episode of the Peace Matters podcast by Prof. Vivien Schmidt and Dr. Hannes Swoboda.

Guests:

Vivien A. Schmidt is Jean Monnet Professor of European Integration, Professor Emerita of International Relations in the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies, and Professor Emerita of Political Science at Boston University, as well as Founding Director of the Center for the Study of Europe, all at Boston University where she taught from 1998 to 2023. Vivien A. Schmidt received her B.A. from Bryn Mawr and her Masters and PhD from the University of Chicago, and attended Sciences Po in Paris. Schmidt’s research focuses on European political economy and institutions, on democracy and the challenges of populism in the US and Europe, and on the importance of ideas and discourse in political analysis (discursive institutionalism). She has published thirteen books, over 300 scholarly journal articles or chapters in books, and numerous policy briefs and comments. She is also a board member of the International Institute for Peace.

Hannes Swoboda is the President of the International Institute for Peace. He started his career in urban politics in Vienna and was elected to the European Parliament in 1996. There, he served as an MEP for eighteen years, including as the Leader of the Social Democratic Group in the Parliament from 2012 until 2014. He was particularly engaged in foreign, enlargement, and neighborhood policies. He is now president of the International Institute for Peace, the Sir Peter Ustinov Institute and the Vienna Institute for Economic Studies.

Moderation:

Stephanie Fenkart, Director of the International Institute for Peace.

The episode was recorded on 11 November 2024.