A More United Nations with PM Pedro Sánchez of Spain

The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart

Jon Stewart hosts Spanish Prime Minister Pedro SÃ¡nchez during the UN General/Assembly to discuss the global political landscape. The conver

Key takeaways

Pedro SÃ¡nchez highlights that Spain has reached 60% renewable electricity usage, successfully lowering household costs.
The discussion critiques Donald Trump's rhetorical approach to AI, specifically his suggestion to rebrand it as 'Supreme Intelligence'.
SÃ¡nchez warns that the far-right gains power by exploiting social media algorithms and spreading misinformation.
Migration in Spain is primarily composed of Latin American citizens rather than North African populations.
The Prime Minister advocates for a 'maxilateralism' approach to strengthen global cooperation beyond small, like-minded circles.

Main topics

Rise of far-right populism
Green energy transition
AI regulation and ethics

Notable quotes

We live in a fucking simulation.

Conclusion

The episode offers a principled look at how data-driven, progressive p

Transcript preview

Speaker 5 (0:07) Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Weekly Show podcast. My name is Jon Stewart. It is Tuesday, September 22nd. It is the opening ceremonies at the U.N. General Assembly. So I am happily at home and not dealing with the clusterfuck of traffic that is now New York City. For those of you who don't know, our president, Donald Trump, just gave his typical barn burner at the U.N. The big takeaway is I'm going to annihilate Iran and. I know AI might be a problem. What if we just changed its name? He is now saying that he's going to change it from AI to SI, Supreme Intelligence. Why not just call it Supreme Intelligence, even though those are two completely different things? Why not just rename it? I think he thinks the problem with AI is a branding problem. My favorite part of his rebranding is he's going to call it Supreme Intelligence, but he's still using his AI force. He started an AI force to control it. I guess the AI force will control the Supreme. We live in a fucking simulation. We must, this can't be real. I don't know which pill you take to get out of this, but God. Speaker 5 (1:24) But that being said, we are very honored today. We are delighted because the UN General Assembly is in town. We have some access to guests that we might not normally get a chance to speak with. And so we are going to have that today. We are very delighted and honored to welcome the Prime Minister of Spain. Pedro Sanchez is joining us. Speaker 5 (1:51) We are delighted today. It's obviously it's the United Nations General Assembly and we are joined by the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sanchez. Sir, thank you so much for joining us. We really appreciate it. Thank Speaker 1 (2:02) you. Thank you very much for having me here. Speaker 5 (2:04) And I would be remiss if I did not begin with a hearty congratulations to you and your country for your victory in the World Cup. Speaker 1 (2:16) Yeah, it's the second time. Thank you very much. It is the second time throughout our history. But actually, we didn't want the World Cup only. We also, in women's soccer, we're also the current championship. Oh. And World Cup championship too. And also when it comes to the Olympic Games. So it's, you know, it's a... Speaker 5 (2:38) Trifecta. Speaker 1 (2:39) You've Speaker 5 (2:39) got all three. Speaker 1 (2:40) Yeah, so it's clearly a momentum. Are Speaker 5 (2:42) you the European champions as well? Actually, we are. Yes, yes, yes. Yeah, I thought you were that as well. So Speaker 1 (2:47) you've Speaker 5 (2:47) won Speaker 1 (2:48) everything. Fourth, Speaker 5 (2:49) yes. Yes. Well, the United States is, we're almost at that level. We're just about, okay, we're not at that level at all. Speaker 1 (2:56) Well, but you are actually in basketball. You know, I'm a big fan of NBA and this is the level of basketball. Yes, it's actually. Do you have a favorite NBA team? Well, actually, you know, I know that you are a big fan of, a big supporter of New York Knicks. Speaker 2 (3:14) Yes. Speaker 1 (3:14) In my case, I'm following the San Antonio sports. It was not our year, even though we reached the finals. I understand. You did very well. Speaker 5 (3:24) Now, you played ball, if I'm not mistaken. Speaker 1 (3:27) I played basketball when I was young in a very competitive team in Spain, in Madrid. But I, you know, I quit it when I was 20, 21 years old and because of my studies and then... I entered into politics, so I didn't have the time to. Speaker 5 (3:46) What was your position when you were playing? Speaker 1 (3:49) It changed over the time, but not playmaker, but the shooting guard. Solid. Yeah. All Speaker 5 (3:57) right. You had a pretty nice. Okay. All Speaker 1 (3:59) right. Well, I tried to do my best. I tried to do my best. I appreciate that wholeheartedly. How tall are you, Speaker 5 (4:05) sir? Speaker 1 (4:05) No, 1.9, which is like six. Speaker 1 (4:11) Four, I believe. Oh, Speaker 5 (4:13) for God's sakes. Lower. Speaker 1 (4:14) You're Speaker 5 (4:15) handsome and 6'4". I don't like this interview at all so far. Speaker 1 (4:20) But I understand that you also play soccer. I did play for Speaker 5 (4:25) a little bit because I am the opposite of 6'4", about 4'6". So Speaker 1 (4:29) we're Speaker 5 (4:30) working through it. And thank you for coming over. I know you just walked over from the UN General Assembly. And I apologize for the traffic. New York City is generally... Speaker 1 (4:40) You have other assets, you know, New York, Manhattan. Thank you. It's a Speaker 5 (4:44) great place. It's incredible. For Speaker 1 (4:46) spending a week, I don't know, for, you know, whole life, but for a week is... I Speaker 5 (4:53) can understand that. Were you there, were you in the General Assembly when President Trump gave his address? Were you able to hear it? Yes. How was it, did you get a sense of how it was received by the Assembly at large? Speaker 1 (5:09) Well, I think it was a very, as usual, a very ideological speech. Yes. Not backed as reported by facts and data. So somehow when he speaks about climate change or the war in Iran, all the things that are going on in the Middle East, you know, and his political positions are not, let's say, Speaker 1 (5:37) largely supported by many, many countries worldwide. Speaker 5 (5:40) That is a very tactful way of putting it, sir. We have difficulty dealing with his inability to speak in facts. And we're not sure. And I always wonder, leaders around the world, is there eye rolling that goes on? Does he speak that way when he speaks to you guys individually? Or is that a performance? that doesn't seem to match what he's like behind the scenes. Speaker 1 (6:11) I haven't got the opportunity to have, let's say, a private meeting, a bilateral meeting with President Trump yet. But, of course, we have the opportunity to meet in different forums and formats, NATO Summit and others. And, yeah, well... He has this way of expressing his ideas and, of course, as I said earlier, very ideological. And somehow, you know, when you are president or prime minister, of course, you have your ideology. But also, you know, you try to convince and to represent more people, your country as a whole. You Speaker 5 (6:56) try and base your argument in things that have actually happened. Exactly. Interesting. So Speaker 1 (7:03) he speaks about climate change and he denies climate change. So he's denying the scientists and data. And of course, not only scientific data, but also the daily life of many citizens around the world, also here in the United States. So all you know, what I'm trying to say is that even when you speak about if it's... worth or not for our societies to make this green transition towards the renewables. I always say that in Spain, at least, our data, our experience shows that it's worth for the pockets of households to go for this green transition. We have managed to reach 60 % of our electricity coming from renewables. We have managed to drop the prices of electricity because of this green transition. So facts and data shows that it's the contrary to what the far right as a political movement internationally is going in the wrong direction when it comes to the biggest concerns of common citizens. Speaker 5 (8:19) Sir, for you, what is the dividing line in terms of We think of, I think in America sometimes, the EU as a bit of a monolith. But it really is reflective of there is center-right coalitions, there's far-right coalitions. Yours is considered, I guess, more progressive. You kind of have to form coalitions with maybe some separatist groups and some more far-left groups. Where do you see these divisions going? And do you see the movement as it was here, a more right-wing populism, a more ideological populism? Speaker 5 (9:00) dominating, even in Europe, in the way, you know, is that a fear of yours? Is that the direction you see it going in? Speaker 1 (9:07) So it's a fear, it's a direction, but also we have mixed signals, no? So for instance, you see what was the outcome recently of the Swedish elections where the far right reduced its support. And also in the Netherlands, but on the contrary, in all the countries, we see a rise of the far right. And the biggest concern to me when it comes to the center right or traditional right is that they're committing the same mistake that many or in the past they did when the far right rise before the Second World War, which was to cooperate with them, to copy and paste the way and the contents of. how to do politics when it comes to the far right. And this is something that we are witnessing not only in Spain, but across the European Union. So I think that, of course, the far right seeds of legitimate anxious and demands of our societies. But then when they come to office, they don't deliver. So they turn anger into disappointment. And that is why we're witnessing, for instance, in Sweden, how they lost electoral support. So there are like mixed signals. But it's true to go to your point that there is a risk of entrenchment of the European Union. And I think that could be one of the biggest mistakes that we can commit, because nowadays what we need is more proactive on global issues, global matters. engagement of the European Union, not only as the Commission, but also as member states. And that is why we are following that path, being engaged in the debate of migration, being engaged in the debate of climate change, being advocating for the achievement of the SDGs and the Agenda 2030. supporting the reform of multiculturalism, hosting important conferences for the world, such as the Financing for Sustainable Development last year in Sevilla, in the city of the south end of Spain. So, you know, we try to be engaged and show Europeans how important it is for us, also in our own interest, to be open and not entrenched when it comes to this kind of politics and debates. Speaker 5 (11:38) And Spain is really... I mean, it's a microcosm of all these cleavages. It is, you know, if you think about, you talked about the mistake that the center-right would make in cooperating with the far-right. So in Spain, you have the People's Party, and I guess they would be considered more center-right. But then you have Vox, which is considered, I guess, more far-right. Is it your concern in Spain? that those two parties form a coalition and do they have an opportunity? I don't know your, when is the next election for you? You've been in eight years? Yes, Speaker 1 (12:14) it's 2027. Yes, 2027. I've been in office for more than eight years. But to go to your point, you know, for those who don't know the, let's say the politics in Spain, we are a very decentralized political system. So we have regions. such as the states here in the United States, with a lot of, let's say, policies that they can deliver regarding the healthcare, social issues, housing policies, and so on and so forth. And actually, they are forming these coalition governments in many of the regions because the numbers give them these opportunities. And at the end of the day, what I see is that they are not delivering. they're just blaming the central government, which is of course the easiest way of avoiding any kind of political responsibility. But anyhow, I think that the battle, the dilemma that Spaniards, as many other societies in Europe, will face in the next general elections is very simple. Do you want to continue progressing and advancing, or do you want to suffer a regression, an involution, so to say? on many of the policies that we have implemented over the last years, not only on labour rights, social issues, green transition and humanistic approach to digitalisation and AI, but also on freedom and rights. So, for instance, I'm proud to state that I'm a feminist politician. Perhaps this is now something rare in the public debate. But I think that the fight against inequalities and the fight in favor of gender equality is one of the biggest issues in the present and the future of world politics and national politics. There Speaker 5 (14:18) are times when we are honored to be introducing a new product. To the weekly show podcast listeners. Now, obviously this company, Ridge. Ridge is the company. You're familiar with their wallet. Well, they've just come out with something. I don't even know what to tell you. I don't even know where this came from. It's a power bank. It's like a five-in-one travel power bank. It's got, I don't know about you. You got, I got all kinds. You see this? That's always running out of juice. Speaker 3 (14:47) You see this thing over here? Speaker 5 (14:49) It's always running out. They're all, everything's always running out of juice. The point is this, the power bank from Ridge, you don't have to juggle all the adapters and the outlets and the things. It's got a mag safe wireless charging. And while I don't know what that means, it's clearly something positive. Apple watch charger, lightning, USB-C, every way that you would need to charge is all in this one device. It's the last power bank you'll need. That's right. You heard that woke you up. Didn't it? Put that in the pipe and smoke it. One thing to pack, five ways to power. You can find Ridge's power bank at Best Buy or our listeners can get 10 % off at Ridge.com by using code TWS at checkout. Just head to Ridge.com and use code TWS and you're all set. After your purchase, they will ask you where you heard about them. They support our show and tell them our show sent you. But don't be weird about it. Speaker 5 (15:54) So in terms of, would you say the issues that's animating the rise of this more right-wing politics, this more ideological politics, would you say that energy or climate or feminism is the most animating or politically correct rhetoric? Or is it mostly centered on migration and immigration? Because obviously Spain, you know, you had... And I'm sure I'm pronouncing that incorrectly. Speaker 1 (16:24) Ceuta. Ceuta. No, no, no. Ceuta. For those who are not aware, Ceuta and Melilla are two Spanish cities in Africa, in North Africa. And