The Rachman Review

Viktor Orbán has been a thorn in the side of the EU and a favourite of Donald Trump. But his party is now behind in the polls ahead of next month’s Hungarian elections. So could this mark the end of the Orbán era? Gideon discusses this with Zsuzsanna Végh, an analyst at the German Marshall Fund. They also discuss Orbán's close relationship with Russia and hostility to Ukraine. Clip: APT

Free links to read more on this topic:
ECB warns Hungary’s seizure of Ukraine cash risks euro credibility
Hungarian opposition groups quit to make way for Orbán challenger
Kremlin backs covert campaign to keep Viktor Orbán in power
The riches of Viktor Orbán’s home village
How Viktor Orbán’s oligarchs reaped billions in public contracts

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Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Sean McGarrity.
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Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
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Gideon discusses the Iran war with defence analyst Jack Watling, author of Statecraft - The New Rules of Power in a Divided World. Why did the US fail to foresee the need to protect the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping route? What options are there to bring the war to a close?
Clip: NYT

Free links to read more on this topic:
Iran vows retaliation against energy sites across Gulf after largest gasfield hit
Trump ally warns US economy not strong enough to cope with Iran war
Iran still seen capable of escalating attacks on Gulf’s energy
Israel says it has killed Iran’s top security official
Top US counterterrorism official resigns over war against Iran

Subscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe.
Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Sean McGarrity.
Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social, @gideonrachman

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing Opus Dei, a new season of Untold from the Financial Times. Host Antonia Cundy uncovers the cultural and political influence of a controversial Catholic organisation in America. Opus Dei exists to help people get closer to God, but some members say they found other agendas – and unexpected harm – entangled in that spiritual mission. The first episode of Untold: Opus Dei launches March 25.

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Gideon speaks to Sir Simon Gass, a former UK ambassador to Iran, about why the formidable destructive power of the US and Israel has failed to dislodge the Islamic regime. They discuss how long the war can continue as well as likely outcomes for the US, Iran and the Gulf region. Clip: Middle East Eye

Free links to read more on this topic:
Trump’s Venezuela strategy has failed in Iran
Iranians rethink the price of regime change
Iran official says new supreme leader is ‘fine’ despite absence from view
Drones, lasers and radars: Middle East war spurs hunt for cheaper air defence
Taco on Iran will come too late for Trump

Subscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe.
Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Sean McGarrity.
Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social, @gideonrachman

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gideon discusses the US and Israeli war against Iran with Emile Hokayem of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. What are the war aims, can they be achieved and where does this leave the future of the region and its relations with Israel? Clips: CBS; CNN

Free links to read more on this topic:
Gulf insurance costs soar 12-fold despite Trump guarantee
Trump has no realistic plan for Iran’s future
Military briefing: how Iran could wage a new ‘tanker war’
The cynical opportunities of ‘Epic Fury’
The influencers leaping to Dubai’s defence

Subscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe.
Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Sean McGarrity.
Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social, @gideonrachman

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.