OTT Podcast

• Running a think tank in a changing Europe: Strategic debates, independence and the future of policy advice in Germany

  How has the role of think tanks in Germany and Europe evolved in an era of polarisation, disinformation, and shifting funding models? In this episode, we speak with Dr Daniela Schwarzer, Executive Board Member at the Bertelsmann Foundation, former Director and CEO of the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), and founder of the Europe programme at the German Marshall Fund. With more than a decade of leadership experience across different organisations, Daniela offers a unique perspective on the transformations shaping the European think tank landscape.She reflects on how policy debates in Berlin have become more dynamic and contested, how foreign and domestic politics are increasingly intertwined, and why evidence-based analysis remains vital in times of uncertainty. We discuss the growing challenges of independence, credibility, and funding—particularly as foundations shift from grant-making to implementing their own projects, and as governments and donors become more cautious in their support.Daniela also shares lessons from her leadership journey: the importance of team-building, developing new skill sets, and creating practical, forward-looking policy advice in a rapidly changing environment. Finally, she offers candid advice to future thinktankers: diversify your career experiences, remain open to collaboration, and always look ahead to what will matter tomorrow.Join us for this wide-ranging conversation on the evolving role of think tanks in Germany and across Europe.This episode is part of a series, Think tanks in a changing Europe, supported by the Open Society Foundations. To listen to the whole series, visit: https://onthinktanks.org/podcast/podcast-series-think-tanks-in-a-changing-europe/To learn more about Bertelsmann Stiftung, please visit: https://www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/en/home ------OTT Talks is a platform for sharing learning among think tanks, funders, and other policy actors on a range of topics, from think tank governance to communicating research. Learn more: https://onthinktanks.org/podcast/ ----About On Think Tanks: On Think Tanks focuses on a range of issues relevant to think tanks, their staff, and supporters. We hope that our initiatives and the articles and resources we publish will support think tanks in making short- and long-term decisions more strategically, resulting in better policy advice and policy outcomes for all. Read more: https://onthinktanks.org/initiative/evidence-generation-and-communication/on-think-tanks-programme/ Support us: https://onthinktanks.org/support/ 

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• Running a think tank in a changing Europe: Lessons on leadership, credibility and resilience from Athens

  What does it take to maintain independence while navigating the turbulence of national crisis and European transformation? In this episode, we speak with Loukas Tsoukalis, President of the Board at ELIAMEP, Greece’s most prominent think tank on European and foreign policy.Drawing on over two decades of leadership, Loukas reflects on what it meant to lead a think tank during one of the most difficult periods in recent Greek history—from the financial crisis to growing political polarisation. He shares how ELIAMEP positioned itself as both a national and European actor, often acting as a bridge between Athens and Brussels, sometimes uncomfortably so.We discuss the importance of “speaking truth to power” in environments where conforming to the official line is often rewarded, and how true independence requires strategic funding decisions, credibility, and a willingness to be unpopular. Loukas also highlights the risks of self-censorship, the value of internal self-criticism, and the need for think tanks to move beyond technocratic neutrality.From institutional survival to long-term influence, this conversation is a masterclass in navigating the responsibilities and risks of public policy work in a rapidly changing Europe.This episode is part of a series, Think tanks in a changing Europe, supported by the Open Society Foundations. To listen to the whole series, visit: https://onthinktanks.org/podcast/podcast-series-think-tanks-in-a-changing-europe/To learn more about ELIAMEP, please visit: https://www.eliamep.gr/en------OTT Talks is a platform for sharing learning among think tanks, funders, and other policy actors on a range of topics, from think tank governance to communicating research. Learn more: https://onthinktanks.org/podcast/ ----About On Think Tanks: On Think Tanks focuses on a range of issues of relevance and interest to think tanks as well as their staff and supporters. We hope that our initiatives and the articles and resources we publish will support think tanks to be more strategic in the ways they make short and long-term decisions, and that this will result in better policy advice and policy outcomes for all. Read more: https://onthinktanks.org/initiative/evidence-generation-and-communication/on-think-tanks-programme/ Support us: https://onthinktanks.org/support/

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• Running a think tank in a changing Europe: People, politics and the fight for relevance (bonus content)

  In this bonus episode, we continue our conversation with Mathieu Lefèvre, Co-Founder and CEO of More in Common, to explore some of the critical forces shaping civic life and political discourse in Europe today.We begin with a look at the current imbalance in funding within the market of ideas, where emerging players on the far right are gaining ground, and what this means for the future of democratic debate.We also discuss new legislation in France and the UK that limits access to social media for under-16s, and how regulation might evolve to address broader concerns around focus, agency, and the online spaces that influence young citizens.Finally, we ask whether traditional political categories are still helpful in understanding how people engage with politics, or if it’s time for a new framework that reflects the complexity of public opinion today.This bonus episode is part of a series, Think tanks in a changing Europe, supported by the Open Society Foundations. To listen to the whole series, visit: https://onthinktanks.org/podcast/podcast-series-think-tanks-in-a-changing-europe/To learn more about More in Common, please visit: https://www.moreincommon.com/------OTT Talks is a platform to share learning among think tanks, funders and other policy actors on a range of topics from think tank governance to communicating research. Learn more: https://onthinktanks.org/podcast/ ----About On Think Tanks: On Think Tanks focuses on a range of issues of relevance and interest to think tanks as well as their staff and supporters. We hope that our initiatives and the articles and resources we publish will support think tanks to be more strategic in the ways they make short and long-term decisions; and that this will result in better policy advice and policy outcomes for all. Read more: https://onthinktanks.org/initiative/evidence-generation-and-communication/on-think-tanks-programme/ Support us: https://onthinktanks.org/support/

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• Running a think tank in a changing Europe: People, politics and the fight for relevance

  What does it take to lead a people-centred policy organisation in today’s polarised and fast-changing Europe? In this episode, we speak with Mathieu Lefèvre, co-founder and CEO of More in Common, a non-profit that uses evidence and social psychology to understand what brings societies together and what drives them apart.Mathieu reflects on the political fatigue spreading across Europe, and how rising polarisation and disinformation are reshaping the role of evidence in public life. In today’s climate, he argues, evidence is no longer just a tool; it’s a statement of values.Drawing on nearly a decade of leadership, Mathieu shares lessons from building an organisation rooted in curiosity about people: from bringing polling in-house and investing in team culture, to embracing the political dimensions of their work.We also explore the challenges think tanks face when it comes to change, funding, and engaging wider audiences. In a sector at risk of drifting away from people’s lived experiences, Mathieu offers a compelling vision of relevance, resilience, and hope.This episode is part of a series, Think tanks in a changing Europe, supported by the Open Society Foundations. To listen to the whole series, visit: https://onthinktanks.org/podcast/podcast-series-think-tanks-in-a-changing-europe/To learn more about More in Common, please visit: https://www.moreincommon.com/------OTT Talks is a platform to share learning among think tanks, funders and other policy actors on a range of topics from think tank governance to communicating research. Learn more: https://onthinktanks.org/podcast/ ----About On Think Tanks: On Think Tanks focuses on a range of issues of relevance and interest to think tanks as well as their staff and supporters. We hope that our initiatives and the articles and resources we publish will support think tanks to be more strategic in the ways they make short and long-term decisions, and that this will result in better policy advice and policy outcomes for all. Read more: https://onthinktanks.org/initiative/evidence-generation-and-communication/on-think-tanks-programme/ Support us: https://onthinktanks.org/support/

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• What we’ve learned so far: Reflecting on think tanks in a changing Europe

  After seven candid conversations with think tank leaders across Europe, hosts Goran Buldioski and Enrique Mendizabal come together to reflect on the insights shared in these two seasons of Running think tanks in a changing Europe.What has surprised them the most? What are the common threads and the striking differences between how leaders from across the region understand their role, their impact, and their future? In this episode, Goran and Enrique delve into the changing political and funding landscape in which think tanks operate, the pressures that come with defending democratic values, and the importance of stepping outside the sector’s intellectual comfort zones.They also explore what was missing from these conversations, what we still need to better understand about the day-to-day realities of running a think tank in today’s Europe, and what future episodes could explore and uncover.Join us for this special episode that steps back from the interviews to connect the dots, highlight what we’ve learned, and invite you to listen (or re-listen) to the conversations shaping our understanding of European think tanks today.This episode is part of a series, Think tanks in a changing Europe, supported by the Open Society Foundations. To listen to the whole series, visit: https://onthinktanks.org/podcast/podcast-series-think-tanks-in-a-changing-europe------OTT Talks is a platform to share learning among think tanks, funders and other policy actors on a range of topics from think tank governance to communicating research. Learn more: https://onthinktanks.org/podcast/ ----About On Think Tanks: On Think Tanks works to better understand and support think tanks. We hope that our initiatives and the articles and resources we publish will support think tanks to be more strategic in the ways they make short and long-term decisions; and that this will result in better policy advice and policy outcomes for all. Read more: https://onthinktanks.org/on-think-tanks-programme/Support us: https://onthinktanks.org/support/

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