222 | Michael Ignatieff on the Future of Democracy

A special live edition recorded in front of an audience in Cambridge: David talks to writer, broadcaster, academic and politician Michael Ignatieff about his personal experiences of democratic politics.  From his bruising time as Liberal party leader in Canada to his recent confrontations with the Orban government in Hungary, from climate change to populism, from Johnson to Trump, we discuss what's happened to
democracy and where he sees the grounds for hope.  A wide-ranging conversation about the good and the bad of contemporary politics.

221 | Macron vs Everyone

We talk to Shahin Vallee, former economics advisor to Emmanuel Macron, about the state of the Macron presidency: from the gilets jaunes to the pensions protests, from dealing with Merkel to facing off with Putin, and from now to the next presidential election in 2022.  Did Macron save the centre of French politics or has he destroyed it?  Can he really be sure he'll beat Le Pen next time?  And what is his plan to rescue the West?  Plus, we discuss what the Griveaux and Mila affairs tell us about the state of French politics.  With Helen Thompson.

218 | Are We Losing Faith in Democracy?

We talk to Roberto Foa about some of the findings in his groundbreaking new report 'Global Satisfaction with Democracy'.  Where are people most dissatisfied with democracy and why?  Is it being driven by economic factors or is something else going on?  And why does democratic satisfaction divide Europe north/south and east/west?  Plus we talk about what might happen to satisfaction with democracy in the UK post-Brexit.  With Helen Thompson.

217 | Trump vs Iran: Is it for Real?

David and Helen talk to Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor at the Economist, about the fallout from the killing of Soleimani and the future of American power.  Is Trump a madman or is he a realist (or is he neither)?  What sort of threat does Iran pose to American interests in the region and the wider world?  And what has all this got to do with oil and climate change?  Plus, in the week Trump's impeachment trial gets underway, we ask who or what can limit the power of the presidency.

215 | What's the Future for Labour?

We are back for 2020 to talk about Labour's future after Corbyn. How can the party move the argument beyond Brexit?  Does the voting system help or hinder Labour's chances of returning to power?  And what to do about Scotland?  Plus we ask how much damage would be done if the next leader turns out to be the only man in the field.  With Helen Thompson, Chris Brooke and Chris Bickerton.

214 | The Great Abortion Switcheroo

 In the final episode of our American Histories series, Sarah Churchwell tells the incredible story of the politics of abortion during the 1970’s.  How did evangelicals go from supporting abortion to being its die-hard opponents, what did the switch have to do with the politics of race and what have been the lasting consequences for American democracy?