COP17 takes place in Yerevan from 19 to 30 October, bringing governments together for the first global review of the 2022 Kunming-Montreal biodiversity framework
The agreement includes protecting at least 30% of land and sea by 2030. Progress remains insufficient across most targets
Negotiations will address mobilising at least $200 billion annually for biodiversity by 2030 and reforming subsidies that damage nature
The EU wants faster implementation, increased public and private funding, and stronger participation by Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Europe’s challenge is matching diplomatic ambition with action at home
Sources: CBD, EU Council, Reuters
Transparency Note: Use of AI
More Quick Briefs:
·International Right·National Politics·Security·Ukraine·War in Ukraine·24 February 2022·Diplomacy·Hard Winter·Russia·USA
·International Right·National Politics·Security·Ukraine·War in Ukraine·24 February 2022·Diplomacy·Hard Winter·Russia·USA
Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine: Putin targets Ukraine’s economy and infrastructure, and is the USA on the aggressor’s side? ↗︎
More than four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion, Ukraine continues to resist as the war has evolved from Moscow’s failed attempt at a rapid victory into a prolonged conflict with no political settlement in sight.
→Update (19.10.2026): News: Zelensky speaks to US envoys as Trump accuses him of not wanting to end the war (Le Monde)
→Update (19.10.2026): News: Putin seeks Ukraine summit with Trump and Xi but refuses talks with Zelenskyy (Euronews)
→Update (19.10.2026): Analysis: How dependent is Ukraine on US-controlled Starlink? (DW)
→Update (18.10.2026): Analysis: Ukraine’s ability to intercept Russian drones using Starlink and Starshield remains unclear (ISW)
→Update (18.10.2026): News: Rubio says Trump may take 60 days to decide on Russia sanctions (Reuters)
→Update (18.10.2026): Analysis: Putin targets Ukraine’s economy through intensified airstrikes (DIE ZEIT)
→Update (17.10.2026): News: Zelenskyy urges neighbours to allow Ukrainian grain transit (Reuters)
→Update (17.10.2026): Analysis: Trump-Zelenskyy rift threatens vital US support for Ukraine (Reuters)
→Update (16.10.2026): News: Zelenskyy warns US-Russia diesel deal could weaken sanctions (EUobserver)
→Update (16.10.2026): News: Zelenskyy rallies European allies as relations with Trump deteriorate (Le Monde)
→Update (16.10.2026): Analysis: ISW reports continued Russian deportations of Crimean Tatars and alleged forced transfers of Ukrainian civilians and children (ISW)
→Update (16.10.2026): News: White House reportedly ordered Starshield restrictions in Ukraine (Reuters)
→Update (15.10.2026): News: Zelenskyy urges EU unity, more funding and Russia sanctions (EUobserver)
→Update (15.10.2026): Analysis: Ukraine reportedly regains unrestricted SpaceX Starshield access (ISW)
→Update (15.10.2026): News: Zelenskyy says Ukraine will resume strikes on Russian oil refineries (Reuters)
→Update (15.10.2026): Analysis: Ukrainian strikes expose Russian digital infrastructure vulnerabilities (POLITICO)
→Update (14.10.2026): Interview: Zelenskyy says Ukraine is losing the US as a strong partner (Reuters)
→Update (14.10.2026): News: Black Sea becomes new front in Russia-Ukraine grain export war (EUobserver)
→Update (14.10.2026): Analysis: SpaceX’s Starshield restrictions threaten Ukrainian drone operations (ISW)
→Update (14.10.2026): News: UK to accelerate missile deliveries to Ukraine (Rapporteur)
→Update (14.10.2026): News: Andy Burnham backs Ukraine during Zelenskyy’s UK visit (POLITICO)
→Update (14.10.2026): News: Russian strikes hit 30 Ukrainian energy facilities despite reported ceasefire agreement (Reuters)
→Update (13.10.2026): News: Ukraine reports record Russian casualties as Moscow seeks recruits (EUobserver)
→Update (12.10.2026): News: US hopes diesel deal will ease Moscow peace talks (Reuters)
→Update (12.10.2026): Analysis: Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment (ISW)
→Update (12.10.2026): News: EU adopts nearly 1,600 new sanctions listings targeting Russia (Reuters)
→Update (12.10.2026): News: European leaders criticise Trump’s plan to buy Russian diesel, warning it undermines support for Ukraine (POLITICO)
→Update (11.10.2026): News: European leaders rally behind Zelenskyy after Trump calls for a new Ukrainian leader (POLITICO)
→Update (10.10.2026): Analysis: Putin falsely blames Ukraine for stalled peace talks despite Russia’s refusal to make concessions (ISW)
→Update (09.10.2026): Analysis: Trump and Putin agree to waive sanctions on Russian diesel, potentially funding Russia’s war in Ukraine (ISW)
→Update (09.10.2026): Analysis: Civilians in Russian-occupied Oleshky reportedly forced to eat dogs to survive amid severe humanitarian crisis (EUobserver)
→Update (08.10.2026): Analysis: Europe’s far-right surge threatens NATO defence spending commitments and continued military aid to Ukraine (POLITICO)
→Update (07.10.2026): Analysis: Russian mass drone and missile strikes across Ukraine kill or injure at least 135 civilians, including four children (ISW)
→Update (06.10.2026): Analysis: Ukraine deploys AI-controlled machine-gun turrets against Russian jet-powered drones over Kyiv (EUobserver)
→Update (05.10.2026): Analysis: Russian drone strike injures Moldovan citizen for the first time at Ukraine-Moldova border crossing (ISW)
→Update (04.10.2026): News: Kyiv bridge hit during German Chancellor’s snap visit (Rapporteur)
→Update (04.10.2026): Interview: EU envoy in Kyiv urges stronger air defences and hybrid war response, saying Putin ‘understands only strength’ (EUobserver)
→Update (03.10.2026): Analysis: Russia strikes Kyiv bridge to disrupt transport, economy and civilian life (ISW)
→Update (02.10.2026): Analysis: Ukraine deploys domestically produced FP-7 ballistic missile for first time (EUobserver)
→Update (02.10.2026): Analysis: Putin portrays European responses to Russian threats as aggression (ISW)
→Update (02.10.2026): Analysis: Russia governs occupied Oleshky through humanitarian decline (ISW)
→Update (30.09.2026): Analysis: Russia begins winter campaign targeting Ukraine’s energy security (ISW)
→Update (30.09.2026): Analysis: Ukraine’s war chest is running low at a critical moment (POLITICO)
→Update (30.09.2026): News: Russian air strikes kill three and injure seven in and around Kyiv (Reuters, MarketScreener)
→Update (29.09.2026): Analysis: Russian drone strikes Kyiv research institute and explodes near EU embassy (EUobserver)
→Update (29.09.2026): News: Zelenskyy says North Korea prepares to deploy another 10,000 troops to Russia (Reuters)
→Update (28.09.2026): News: Ukraine regains territory and captures POWs in frontline push (POLITICO)
→Update (28.09.2026): Analysis: Ukraine’s Operation Vivaldi uses deception to liberate five settlements north of Lyman (ISW)
→Update (28.09.2026): News: Kremlin says Ukraine is ‘paying the price’ for attacks on Russia (Reuters)
→Update (26.09.2026): Analysis: Ukraine’s new counteroffensive tactics could help break positional warfare and restore tactical manoeuvre (ISW)
→Update (25.09.2026): Analysis: Russia intensifies strikes on Ukraine’s data centres and telecommunications infrastructure (ISW)
→Update (24.09.2026): News: Russian missile attack on Kyiv kills civilians and damages residential areas (Reuters)
→Update (23.09.2026): Analysis: Russian tank survives 40 drone strikes, suggesting mechanised warfare could make comeback (EUobserver)
→Update (23.09.2026): Analysis: Kremlin rejects proposed energy ceasefire and reiterates maximalist war demands (ISW)
→Update (23.09.2026): Analysis: Kremlin uses sham elections to manufacture legitimacy in occupied Ukraine (ISW)
→Update (22.09.2026): News: Ukraine races to counter new jet-powered Russian drones (BBC)
→Update (22.09.2026): Analysis: Russian Ministry of Defence falsely claims encirclement of Dobropillya as part of cognitive warfare campaign (ISW)
→Update (22.09.2026): Analysis: Western tech helps funnel foreign recruits into Russia’s war (POLITICO)
→Update (21.09.2026): Analysis: Ukraine’s largest Moscow air raid overwhelms defences and hits key oil refinery (EUobserver)
→Update (20.09.2026): Analysis: Russia secretly plans to expand kamikaze drone production (POLITICO) massively
→Update (20.09.2026): News: Ukrainian drones hit Moscow oil refinery, killing two (Reuters)
→Update (19.09.2026): Analysis: Russian Ministry of Defence exaggerates battlefield gains ahead of UN General Assembly (ISW)
→Update (18.09.2026): Analysis: Tusk reveals classified estimates of Ukrainian battlefield casualties (EUobserver)
→Update (18.09.2026): Analysis: Kremlin denies post-election mobilisation amid fears of public backlash (ISW)
→Update (18.09.2026): Podcast: Ukraine faces mounting pressure ahead of wartime winter (ECFR)
→Update (17.09.2026): Analysis: Russia pushes to capture Dobropillia before autumn conditions worsen (EUobserver)
→Update (17.09.2026): Analysis: Russia continues deporting Ukrainian female political prisoners to distant penal colonies (ISW)
→Update (17.09.2026): News: Russia targets passenger trains to undermine Ukraine’s economy and morale (POLITICO)
→Update (16.09.2026): Analysis: Ukrainian forces reportedly advance beyond Zherebets River (EUobserver)
→Update (16.09.2026): Analysis: Putin frames Duma elections as referendum on Ukraine war (ISW)
→Update (15.09.2026): Analysis: Ukraine hits record number of Russian refineries as Trump pushes energy ceasefire (EUobserver)
→Update (15.09.2026): Analysis: Ukraine’s Operation Vivaldi disrupts Russia’s Fortress Belt encirclement (ISW)
→Update (14.09.2026): Analysis: Ukraine races to counter Russia’s jet-powered drones (POLITICO)
→Update (14.09.2026): Analysis: Zelensky reiterates readiness for mutual energy strikes moratorium (ISW)
→Update (13.09.2026): Analysis: Russian strikes near Polish border signal growing escalation (ISW)
→Update (12.09.2026): Analysis: Ukraine disrupts Russia’s Donbas offensive plans (ISW)
→Update (13.09.2026): Analysis: Anthropic AI joins Ukraine war after Russian exploitation (EUobserver)
→Update (11.09.2026): Analysis: Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment (ISW)
→Update (10.09.2026): Analysis: Russia spent over €110bn on the war so far in 2026 (EUobserver)
→Update (10.09.2026): Analysis: Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment (ISW)
→Update (10.09.2026): Analysis: Russian Occupation Update (ISW)
→Update (10.09.2026): Analysis: Zelenskyy gambles on pressure to force Putin into peace talks (POLITICO)
→Update (09.09.2026): Analysis: Russia’s claimed Kharkiv encirclement lacks evidence (EUobserver)
→Update (09.09.2026): News: Zelenskyy’s plane nearly hit by drone en route to Oslo (Euronews)
→Quick Brief:
→Russia launched its full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022, expecting rapid military gains, but its attempt to seize Kyiv failed as Ukrainian forces resisted
→The failed initial offensive developed into a long war of attrition, with Russia occupying Ukrainian territory while Ukraine continues to defend itself and strike Russian military and economic targets
→Winter has repeatedly intensified pressure on civilians: Russia has systematically targeted Ukraine’s electricity and heating infrastructure, causing widespread outages and disruption
→Diplomacy has not ended the war: renewed US-led efforts have so far failed to bridge fundamental differences between Moscow and Kyiv, while Russian military operations continue
→Sources: UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, Reuters, Associated Press
→Transparency Note: Use of AI
·China·Economic Policy·Security·Competiveness·Deficit·European Commission·Trade
·China·Economic Policy·Security·Competiveness·Deficit·European Commission·Trade
China 2.0: Relaxation or Trade War with China? ↗︎
The EU trade deficit with China grows higher every day. As Germany and France take harder stance toward China, how will China react?
→Update (19.10.2026): Commentary: Europe’s new trade instrument cannot come soon enough (Rapporteur)
→Update (15.10.2026): Analysis: Beijing seeks to reduce European influence over Chinese systems (ECFR)
→Update (15.10.2026): News: Von der Leyen considers new restrictions on Chinese chemicals and machinery (POLITICO)
→Update (15.10.2026): Interview: China expert Noah Barkin sees growing EU unity on tougher China trade policy after Germany’s shift (Euronews)
→Update (15.10.2026): News: UK signals possible alignment with EU tariffs on Chinese EVs (POLITICO)
→Update (14.10.2026): Interview: MEP Bernd Lange calls EU-China talks a ‘good starting point’ (YouTube)
→Update (14.10.2026): Analysis: Šefčovič’s China trade breakthrough (POLITICO)
→Update (12.10.2026): News: EU says hybrid car deal with China will not prevent further trade measures against Beijing (Rapporteur)
→Update (12.10.2026): News: China gives more details about trade talk with EU trade chief Maroš Šefčovič (Reuters)
→Update (11.10.2026): News: Macron calls for EU preference in the automotive industry amid growing Chinese competition at Paris Motor Show (Euronews)
→Update (10.10.2026): Analysis: EU faces mounting pressure from China amid escalating trade tensions (Rapporteur)
→Update (09.10.2026): News: EU trade chief hails crucial first step as talks with Beijing help avert a trade war (EUobserver)
→Update (09.10.2026): News: EU and China reach understanding to curb Chinese hybrid car exports to Europe (POLITICO)
→Update (08.10.2026): Analysis: EU trade chief Maroš Šefčovič faces Brussels’ limited leverage in trade negotiations (EUobserver)
→Update (07.10.2026): Analysis: Europe faces three tests in reducing dependence on China and countering Chinese economic coercion (ECFR)
→Update (06.10.2026): News: EU trade chief heads to China with low expectations(EUobserver), Rapporteur)
→Update (05.10.2026): News: Merz and Macron push tougher EU trade response to China (POLITICO)
→Update (04.10.2026): News: Britain expected to impose tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (Reuters)
→Update (01.10.2026): Commentary: EU unity and leverage will determine whether it can stand up to China on trade (Carnegie Europe)
→Update (30.09.2026): News: China vows response if EU introduces measures targeting Chinese trade (Reuters)
→Update (29.09.2026): News: EU eyes tariffs on Chinese goods with new trade weapon (Rapporteur)
→Update (28.09.2026): Analysis: EU-China trade showdown increasingly appears inevitable (Internationale Politik Quarterly)
→Update (18.09.2026): News: Beijing urges EU to weaken ‘Made in Europe’ industrial bill (EUobserver)
→Update (17.09.2026): Analysis: EU firms redesign supply chains amid geopolitical risks (EIB)
→Update (17.09.2026): News: EU asks China to voluntarily limit hybrid car exports (Financial Times)
→Update (16.09.2026): News: Von der Leyen warns EU-China trade deficit has hit ‘tipping point’ (POLITICO)
→Update (15.09.2026): Analysis: European businesses caught between US-China trade and tech war (POLITICO)
→Update (11.09.2026): News from China: Chinese experts warn EU protectionism cannot fix industrial woes (Global Times)
→Update (09.09.2026): News: EU spirits exports squeezed by US-China trade tensions (Euractiv)
→Update (08.09.2026): News: EU warns China to buy more European goods or risk trade war (Euractiv)
→Update (08.09.2026): News: China’s exports accelerate on autos and high-tech goods (Euronews)
→Update (07.09.2026): News: Commission proposes anti-China EU procurement rules (Euractiv)
→Update (02.09.2026): Interview: Šefčovič warns China of harsher measures by October (YouTube)
→Update (02.09.2026): News: Think tank urges UK-EU cooperation against China (POLITICO)
→Update (01.09.2026): Analysis: EU split over courting Chinese factories (EUobserver)
→Update (31.08.2026): News: EU seeks to curb Chinese exports (POLITICO)
→Update (31.08.2026): Commentary from China: Europe risks miscalculating a trade war with China (Global Times)
→Update (31.08.2026): News: Hoekstra says Beijing weaponised clean-tech dominance (Euractiv)
→Update (31.08.2026): Interview: Hoekstra says China isn’t playing by trade rules (YouTube)
→Update (27.08.2026): Dutch think tank urges tougher China tariffs (EUobserver)
→Update (27.08.2026): Von der Leyen warns China on trade (Euractiv)
→Quick Brief:
→The EU recorded a €21.8 billion goods deficit in Q2 (April–June) 2026, after a €6.7 billion surplus in Q1 (January–March)
→The main driver was energy: the deficit in energy products widened to €101.1 billion
→Imports rose by €63.4 billion, considerably more than the €34.9 billion increase in exports
→The EU’s trade deficit with China reached €103.3 billion in Q2, adding to concerns over European industrial competitiveness
→Sources: Eurostat, Euractiv
→Transparency Note: Use of AI
·Climate Policy·Environmental Policy·Health Policy·Droughts·European Commission·Heatwaves·Resilience·Risk Management·Security·Water Supply·Wildfires·Wopke Hoekstra
·Climate Policy·Environmental Policy·Health Policy·Droughts·European Commission·Heatwaves·Resilience·Risk Management·Security·Water Supply·Wildfires·Wopke Hoekstra
EU climate policy: EU Warns on Climate Costs ↗︎
Brussels is urging Europe to invest more in climate adaptation now, warning that delaying action will leave governments facing much higher costs from increasingly severe extreme weather.
→Update (19.10.2026): Analysis: EU climate policy towards 2040 shifts towards greater flexibility and effort-sharing (SWP)
→Update (12.10.2026): Commentary: Made-in-Europe wind, solar and nuclear power can protect us from future energy shocks (EUobserver)
→Update (21.09.2026): Analysis: Planetary Health Check finds mounting pressure on Earth’s life-support systems (PIK)
→Update (16.09.2026): Analysis: Climate rises on von der Leyen’s agenda despite key omissions (EUobserver)
→Update (11.09.2026): News: Von der Leyen weighs new EU water law after drought (Euractiv)
→Update (10.09.2026): News: UN climate chief says Europe’s extreme heat is fuelling inflation (Reuters)
→Update (09.09.2026): News: August declared hottest month ever recorded (POLITICO)
→Update (04.09.2026): News: Spain urges EU climate adaptation fund and binding targets (Reuters)
→Update (02.09.2026): News: Ribera proposes oil tax to climate-proof Europe (POLITICO)
→Update (02.09.2026): Analysis: Renewables boom fails to deliver emissions decline (Euronews)
→Update (02.09.2026): News: UN warns 1.5°C warming risks irreversible damage (EUobserver)
→Update (01.09.2026): Analysis: Climate change threatens Europe’s nuclear renaissance (POLITICO)
→Update (01.09.2026): Analysis: Wildfires expose cost of climate inaction (EUobserver)
→Update (01.09.2026): News: Over half of EU misses nature restoration deadline (Euractiv)
→Update (31.08.2026): Interview: Hoekstra links Europe’s climate and security challenges (Euronews)
→Update (31.08.2026): Analysis: Extreme heat reshapes Europe’s national budgets (Euronews)
→Quick Brief:
→EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra is pushing for greater investment in adaptation as heatwaves, drought and wildfires intensify across Europe
→By 5 August, 505,683 hectares had burned in the EU in 2026, already exceeding the same point in 2025
→Climate adaptation includes protecting water supplies, infrastructure, agriculture and public health, rather than focusing only on cutting emissions
→The Commission is preparing a new European climate resilience framework, expected in autumn 2026, aimed at strengthening preparedness and risk management
→Sources: Politico Europe, European Commission JRC, European Commission
→Transparency Note: Use of AI
→Further Sources:
→Analysis: Global action too slow to prevent 1.5°C warming (UNEP - Overshoot Spotlight Report)
→Analysis: Climate change could nearly triple Europe’s annual wildfire area by century’s end (Global Change Biology)
·Education Policy·Inside Europe·Édouard Geffray·Fires·France·Property Damage·Riot Police·Schools·Student Protests·Unrest
·Education Policy·Inside Europe·Édouard Geffray·Fires·France·Property Damage·Riot Police·Schools·Student Protests·Unrest
French Student Protests Escalate Nationwide ↗︎
High school protests that began near Paris in late September have spread across France, as demands for better education conditions increasingly collide with violence and a tougher government response.
→Update (19.10.2026): Analysis: Europe’s Biggest Fire Burns Inside (European Relations)
→Update (19.10.2026): News: Macron rejects French interior minister’s offer to resign (Reuters)
→Update (18.10.2026): News: Fire-ravaged Limoges town hall evokes memories of Notre-Dame blaze (Reuters)
→Update (18.10.2026): Podcast: Macron vows to punish rioters amid unrest in France (BBC)
→Update (18.10.2026): News: Mass looting grips Paris amid widespread unrest (RFI)
→Update (17.10.2026): News: Fire engulfs Limoges town hall following protests (RFI)
→Update (17.10.2026): News: Violence erupts during French protests over schools and rising prices (RFI)
→Update (17.10.2026): News: Students, trade unions and Yellow Vests plan nationwide protests (Reuters)
→Update (14.10.2026): News: Macron says political forces exploit student protests (RFI)
→Update (10.10.2026): Interview: Sciences Po lecturer argues French student protests reflect deeper grievances beyond rioting or reactionism (EUobserver)
→Update (09.10.2026): News: French student protesters vow to continue demonstrations after securing their first concession from the government (Reuters)
→Update (08.10.2026): Podcast: Are student protests in France actually being fuelled by Mélenchon’s party LFI? (EUobserver)
→Update (08.10.2026): News: French school blockades continue despite PM Sébastien Lecornu’s vague promises to address student demands (Reuters)
→Update (08.10.2026): News: French PM Sébastien Lecornu denies ordering police to confront student protesters (Rapporteur)
→Update (07.10.2026): Podcast: French government holds crisis talks over student protests (BBC)
→Update (06.10.2026): News: French PM Sébastien Lecornu condemns violence at student protests and promises a ‘timeout for democracy’ (RFI)
→Update (06.10.2026): News: France braces for nationwide school blockades and street protests (Reuters)
→Update (06.10.2026): News: Mélenchon doubles down on support for French student protests despite violent clashes (POLITICO)
→Update (05.10.2026): News: French Human Rights League warns police response to school protests reflects broader erosion of rule of law (RFI)
→Update (05.10.2026): News: Teenager loses hand during confrontation between French school protesters and police (BBC)
→Update (03.10.2026): News: French students call for ‘act three’ as school protests seek to maintain momentum (RFI)
→Update (03.10.2026): News: Protests disrupt more than 730 French schools as students call for new rallies (RFI)
→Update (02.10.2026): Interview: Student leader defends France’s school protests against claims of political manipulation (RadioFrance)
→Quick Brief:
→Students are demanding more teachers and funding, smaller classes and better school buildings, while also raising concerns about the university admissions system Parcoursup
→More than 1,000 of France’s roughly 3,700 high schools were affected by actions on 1 October, while around 400 were closed the following day
→Clashes, fires and property damage have accompanied parts of the movement, prompting the government to deploy specialist riot police
→The government says the protests have partly shifted into “urban violence.” Education Minister Édouard Geffray is meeting student and parent representatives, while authorities seek to contain the unrest
→Sources: Le Monde, BBC News
→Transparency Note: Use of AI
·Inside Europe·National Politics·AfD·Berlin·CDU·Friedrich Merz·Germany·Left Party·Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
·Inside Europe·National Politics·AfD·Berlin·CDU·Friedrich Merz·Germany·Left Party·Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
German State Elections: CDU out of state parliament; left-wing mayor in Berlin incoming? ↗︎
Voters in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania head to the polls on 20 September, putting Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s CDU under renewed pressure two weeks after the AfD’s breakthrough in Saxony-Anhalt.
→Update (19.10.2026): News: Berlin coalition talks advance despite CDU opposition and concerns within SPD and Greens (Tagesschau)
→Update (08.10.2026): Berlin's Left Party, SPD and Greens agree exploratory coalition talks (Reuters)
→Update (22.09.2026): Analysis: Merz faces dilemma over whether to redraft or defend Germany’s economic reforms (POLITICO)
→Update (22.09.2026): Commentary: Germany’s political crisis raises a new question for Europe (Euractiv)
→Update (21.09.2026): News: Merz vows to keep coalition together for Germany’s ‘democratic future’ (BBC)
→Update (21.09.2026): Analysis: Germany’s political centre under pressure (European Relations)
→Update (20.09.2026): News: Merz vows to keep fighting AfD after far-right victory in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, CDU falls out of state parliament in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (POLITICO)
→Update (20.09.2026): News: Merz calls CDU’s worst postwar state election result a ‘disaster’ but vows to continue reforms (Reuters)
→Update (20.09.2026): News: AfD edges SPD in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania as Berlin swings left and CDU suffers losses in both states (Euractiv)
→Quick Brief:
→Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania vote on the same day, electing new state parliaments in the latest major tests of Germany’s shifting political landscape
→In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the AfD is leading while Merz’s CDU is polling around 6%, putting it at risk of a historically weak result and potentially even missing the 5% threshold
→In Berlin, the Left Party leads the race, while the AfD has also gained support. Housing shortages and high rents have emerged as major issues for voters
→The elections come after the AfD won 43.8% in Saxony-Anhalt on 6 September, intensifying pressure on Merz and the established parties’ refusal to form coalitions with the AfD
→Sources: Reuters, Federal Returning Officer, Euractiv
→Transparency Note: Use of AI
·Europe in the world·Geopolitics·Latin America·Brazil·BRICS·European Union·Flávio Bolsonaro·Jair Bolsonaro·Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva·Presidential elections·Strategic Autonomy·USA
·Europe in the world·Geopolitics·Latin America·Brazil·BRICS·European Union·Flávio Bolsonaro·Jair Bolsonaro·Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva·Presidential elections·Strategic Autonomy·USA
Brazil Presidential Election: Flávio Bolsonaro emerged in pole position with 47 Percent from a first round of voting, next round incoming 25 October ↗︎
Brazil votes on 25 October in the second round of a presidential election between competing political and foreign-policy visions, with implications for the country’s relations with Europe, the United States, China and BRICS.
→Update (19.10.2026): News: Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro clash in heated presidential debate (Euronews)
→Update (05.10.2026): Analysis: Bolsonaro Jr.’s advance against Lula raises EU concerns over Brazil-Mercosur alliance (EUobserver)
→Update (04.10.2026): News: Flávio Bolsonaro leads Lula as Brazil heads to a runoff (POLITICO)
→Update (03.10.2026): Analysis: Brazil’s cliffhanger election could cost EU a key Latin American ally (EUobserver)
→Quick Brief:
→President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva faces Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, as the two leading candidates in a field of 12. A runoff will follow on 25 October if no candidate wins a majority
→Lula has pursued strategic autonomy, maintaining relations with Europe and China while strengthening Brazil’s role in BRICS and the Global South
→Bolsonaro represents a different direction, with his campaign associated with closer political alignment with Donald Trump’s United States and the wider conservative movement
→For Europe, the election could shape relations with Latin America’s largest economy, including cooperation on trade, climate and the EU-Mercosur partnership, as Brazil navigates competition between Washington and Beijing
→Sources: Brazilian Electoral Court (TSE), Reuters, POLITICO Europe
→Transparency Note: Use of AI
·European Governance·Middle East Relations·Britain·European Union·Ireland·Israel·Sanctions·Settlers·West Bank
·European Governance·Middle East Relations·Britain·European Union·Ireland·Israel·Sanctions·Settlers·West Bank
The EU and Sanctions on Violent Israeli Settlers ↗︎
Amid rising settler violence in the West Bank, the European Union has begun taking limited action against extremist Israeli settlers while internal divisions still constrain tougher measures.
→Update (18.10.2026): News: France urges Israel to arrest attackers of EU diplomats (POLITICO)
→Update (18.10.2026): News: European diplomats attacked by Israeli settlers in West Bank (BBC News)
→Update (15.10.2026): News: Israeli settlers injure Palestinians and US journalist during West Bank harvest attack (BBC News)
→Update (14.10.2026): News: EU funding raises concerns over Israeli firms developing surveillance technology (EUobserver)
→Update (11.10.2026): Commentary: EU leaders accused of remaining silent on Israel despite renewed attention to Gaza genocide allegations (EUobserver)
→Update 08.09.2026: Britain’s east Jerusalem consulate is downgraded (AP)
→Update (23.09.2026): News: Israeli bond sales halted across EU in de facto €2.2bn sanction (EUobserver)
→Update (14.09.2026): News: Israeli rights group B'Tselem accuses Israel of dismantling Palestinian existence in West Bank (RFI)
→Update (08.09.2026): Analysis: Britons back Israeli settlement trade ban by more than two to one (ECFR)
→Update (08.09.2026): News: Israel closes British consulate in East Jerusalem over settlement trade ban (Reuters)
→Update (08.09.2026): News: Eleven European countries and Canada sanction Israeli settlement products (Le Monde)
→Update (08.09.2026): News: France and Canada join UK sanctions on Israeli settlements (POLITICO)
→Update (08.09.2026): News: UK plans trade restrictions on West Bank settlements (BBC News)
→Update (30.08.2026): Interview: Irish MEP says trade is EU’s only leverage over Israel (EUobserver)
→Update (28.08.2026): Commentary: EU favours reforms over pressure on Israel (EUobserver)
→Update (July 09, 2026): EU pitches trade ban with Israeli settlements (Euractiv)
→Update (July 08, 2026): Ireland passes bill banning goods from Israeli settlements (Euractiv)
→Update (June 18, 2026): Israel cuts ‘all contact’ with Kaja Kallas over apartheid comments (Euractiv)
→Update (June 16, 2026): Kallas' plan to punish Israel rejected by the Commission (Euractiv)
→Update (June 15, 2026): Kallas said she will ask the European Commission to propose further restrictive measures on trade against illegal Israeli settlements (Euractiv)
→May 11, 2026:
→Sanctions reflect rising settlement violence and humanitarian crises in the Palestinian territories
→Hungary’s new government ended the veto blocking them
→Stronger trade sanctions were not agreed upon
→Critics say the measures remain limited despite rising West Bank violence
→Source: The Guardian
→Here is a commentary by ECFR on the topic
·Environmental Policy·National Politics·Albania·Edi Rama·EU membership·Flamingo-Revolution·Jared Kushner·Protests
·Environmental Policy·National Politics·Albania·Edi Rama·EU membership·Flamingo-Revolution·Jared Kushner·Protests
Albania Suspends Kushner Resort Amid EU Pressure, “Flamingo Revolution” Stays Firm and Rama Struggles ↗︎
Albania has reportedly suspended the controversial Kushner-backed luxury resort project on Sazan Island while environmental and anti-corruption investigations proceed.
→Update (18.10.2026): News: Albanian PM warns mass protests threaten EU membership, not government (Reuters)
→Update (17.10.2026): News: Albanian anti-government protesters clash with police in Tirana (Reuters)
→Update (17.10.2026): News: Young Albanian lawmaker demands change amid nationwide protests (Reuters)
→Update (15.10.2026): News: Albanian PM condemns chaos amid violent protests (RFI)
→Update (15.10.2026): News: Albanian PM Rama refuses to resign amid protests (Reuters)
→Update (15.10.2026): News: Violent anti-government protests erupt in Albania’s capital (Le Monde)
→Update (02.10.2026): News: Albania’s PM to US Democrats: Don’t use us to get revenge on Trump (POLITICO)
→Update (07.09.2026): Commentary: Flamingo protests test Albania’s European future (BirdLife International)
→Update (01.09.2026): News: Albania’s anti-government protests turn confrontational (Albanian Daily News)
→Update (July 24, 2026): Albanian police clash with protesters over resort construction, protests continue (BNN)Update (July 13, 2026): Jared Kushner-Backed Resort Project Hits New Speed Bump As Forged-Deed Claims Emerge (Zerohedge)
→Update (July 05, 2026): Protesters calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama (AP)
→Update (July 01, 2026): Greens/EFA mission to Albania 29.06.-01.07.2026 (Greens)
→Update (June 28, 2026): “Flamingo Revolution” spreads further, threatening government of PM Edi Rama (DW)Update (June 15, 2026): Protests escalate further about the Kushner resort (The Independent)
→June 09, 2026:
→Project suspended pending an environmental impact assessment
→EU pressure increased, warning Albania to comply with environmental rules tied to EU membership
→An anti-corruption investigation is underway into the project's land ownership and legal status
→Mass protests continue, with demonstrators demanding that the project be cancelled entirely
→Prime Minister Edi Rama insists environmental protections will be respected and that the investment will benefit Albania's economy
→IntelliNews, Euronews
→Interested in the topic? Check for more here: Politico
·Foreign Policy·Middle East Relations·Rule of Law·Security·Arab Israelis·Benjamin Netanyahu·Gadi Eisenkot·Israel·Naftali Bennett·Parliamentary Elections·Settler Violence·Yair Lapid
·Foreign Policy·Middle East Relations·Rule of Law·Security·Arab Israelis·Benjamin Netanyahu·Gadi Eisenkot·Israel·Naftali Bennett·Parliamentary Elections·Settler Violence·Yair Lapid
Israel Votes: Security, Democracy and Exclusion ↗︎
Israel’s 27 October election will test Netanyahu’s leadership amid disputes over security, democratic freedoms, Arab political participation and growing international isolation.
→Netanyahu faces former military chief Gadi Eisenkot’s centrist Yashar party and former premier Naftali Bennett’s Together list with Yair Lapid. Neither camp is assured a majority
→Leading contenders reject coalitions with Arab-led parties, despite their potentially decisive seats. This sidelines Arab Israelis and complicates government formation
→Settler violence exposes political differences: after settlers attacked European diplomats on 17 October, Eisenkot condemned “Jewish terror,” while Netanyahu’s office warned against premature conclusions
→War and fears over Israel’s democratic direction have driven some Israelis abroad. The election raises questions about security, civil liberties and international standing, though leadership change alone may not resolve them
→Sources: European Parliament Research Service, AP, Financial Times
→Transparency Note: Use of AI
·Eastern Europe·Russia·Bulgaria·Drone Strike·European Defense·Russian Threat
·Eastern Europe·Russia·Bulgaria·Drone Strike·European Defense·Russian Threat
Bulgaria Summons Russia’s Envoy After Drone Attack; Attacks Continue in Black Sea ↗︎
Following the drone attacks off the coast of Bulgaria on October 13, Russia's Ambassador to Bulgaria was summoned as 11 of the sailors from the sunken ship remain missing.
→Update (17.10.2026): News: Romania scrambles F-16 jets after detecting aerial targets near Snake Island (Romanian Ministry of Defence)
→Update (15.10.2026): News: Seven missing after tanker fire off Romanian coast (POLITICO)
→Update (14.10.2026): News: Romania proposes joint NATO Black Sea command with Bulgaria (Rapporteur)
→Quick Brief:
→Eleven sailors are still missing after a drone attack off the coast of Bulgaria
→Two cargo ships were hit by drones during the night of October 13th according to Bulgarian officials
→In response to the incident Bulgaria summoned Russia's Ambassador
→Bulgaria does not explicitly accuse Russia of the attacks but its Prime Minister said this "benefits" Russia
→Source: Reuters
·Climate Policy·Energy Policy·Environmental Policy·European Governance·Inside Europe·CO2 emissions·Combustion-Cars·France·Germany·Weakening of 2035 Rules
·Climate Policy·Energy Policy·Environmental Policy·European Governance·Inside Europe·CO2 emissions·Combustion-Cars·France·Germany·Weakening of 2035 Rules
Europe’s Combustion-Car Ban: The End? ↗︎
Germany and France have agreed to seek weaker EU car-emissions rules for 2035, allowing some new combustion-engine cars beyond that date while promoting European production.
→On 16 October, both governments backed a joint position to soften the 2035 rules. This is not yet an EU agreement or a change in law
→They propose a 90% reduction in new-car fleet CO₂ emissions against 2021 levels, rather than 100%, without requiring compensation for the remaining emissions
→The compromise links Germany’s demand for greater technological flexibility with France’s push to favour European-made components in publicly supported vehicles
→Both governments cite competitiveness and jobs. Environmental critics warn that electric-vehicle investment incentives will be weaker. EU governments and Parliament must still agree on legislation
→Sources: Élysée, Reuters, Tagesschau
→Transparency Note: Use of AI
·Human Rights·Ukraine·War in Ukraine·Famine·Food crisis·Humanitarian Crisis·Oleshky·Russia
·Human Rights·Ukraine·War in Ukraine·Famine·Food crisis·Humanitarian Crisis·Oleshky·Russia
Food Crisis Deepens in Occupied Oleshky ↗︎
Civilians in Russian-occupied Oleshky face an escalating humanitarian crisis as food shortages, mines and drone attacks leave residents increasingly isolated and make evacuation extremely difficult.
→Update (16.10.2026): News: Pope contacts Putin over reported famine in Russian-occupied Oleshky (Vatican News)
→Quick Brief:
→Around 2,000 people are estimated to remain in Oleshky, down from about 24,000 before the full-scale invasion
→Regular food deliveries have been cut off since 26 May, leaving basic products increasingly unavailable
→Drones, mines and ongoing fighting make supply routes and evacuations extremely dangerous, while residents also struggle to access medical care
→Ukraine says it is ready to evacuate civilians with international support, but Ukrainian officials accuse Russia of blocking humanitarian access and evacuation efforts
→Sources: DW, UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, Kyiv Independent
→Transparency Note: Use of AI
