Travels in Euroland With Ed Balls

Episode
Episode 2
Broadcast Info
2020 (59 mins)
Description
Following on from the success of Travels In Trumpland, this warm and entertaining series sees Ed Balls head out to Europe to discover how the divisions exposed by Brexit are reflected in the rest of the EU. Immersing himself in the lives of ordinary voters, Ed spends time in both Poland and Germany, exploring the rise of an anti-elite sentiment which has spearheaded a new type of politician to power. Ed begins his trip in Leczna, Eastern Poland, home to the country’s deep coal mines. After the EU ordered the mass closures of unprofitable coal mines across Europe, the populist Law and Justice Party has established a stronghold in the region, promising to stand up for the miners’jobs in the face of what they see as an increasingly intractable EU. Ed meets Josef, who has worked in the mines for over 15 years, and is shown the reality of working an eight-hour shift over 1km underground. He also meets Josef’s family and friends, who tell him about the importance of the mine to the local region. At the town’s football match, Ed finds himself roped in to performing an unlikely role and finds out why the miners are voting for a party which has been accused of being both racist and homophobic. Crossing the border to neighbouring Germany, Ed heads to the village of Dorfchemnitz. In the national elections of 2017, the village returned the highest vote in the entirety of the country for the controversial, far-right Alternative for Germany party, and have now been dubbed the ‘Nazi village.' As the former MP for a constituency which had the highest BNP membership in the U.K., Ed is keen to get behind the headlines to find out what’s really going on. He meets with local woodcutter, Rico, who tells Ed that the villagers felt ignored by the mainstream politicians in Berlin. Rico also takes him to meet the town’s mayor, who was thrust into the spotlight after the results of the election became public. Ed’s time in Germany also sees him visit Bremen, a city which has felt the impact of Merkel’s controversial policy to take on more refugees during the migrant crisis than any other country in Europe. Even in this most diverse of cities, the Alternative for Germany party is picking up votes - and Ed wants to know why. He meets with local cab driver, Karsten, who feels threatened by the rise of refugee violence in the city - and has a surprising story to share. Ed also meets the local Alternative for Germany representative, Frank Magnitz. Frank believes his party are the only ones who are standing up for the people on the ground. Ed’s journey comes to an end back in Poland. Here, he goes to a gun training camp, marketed as a place where ordinary citizens can learn how to defend themselves in the event of a terrorist attack. The camp is run by former French citizen, Gregory LeRoy, who believes the mainstream politicians aren’t doing enough to protect their citizens from the risk of terrorists. Ed meets the men who have signed up to the training camp - and finds that some have more reason than most to feel that their lives are under threat. But he can’t help but wondering whether the anti-elitist, anti-Islam rhetoric of the populist politicians is encouraging more people to take up arms.
Genre
Economics; History; Culture; Social Science

How to cite this record

The Open University, "Travels in Euroland With Ed Balls". https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/ou/search/index.php/prog/234734 (Accessed 10 Jan 2025)