Sep 30, 2026
European Union officials are downplaying fears that upcoming elections in France and Germany might derail the bloc's continued support for Ukraine, even as divisions emerge over EU security coordination and tensions with Russia persist.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu unveiled plans to cut public spending by €54 billion in the 2027 budget to control the country's spiraling fiscal deficit after missing targets in 2026. The announcement comes seven months before presidential elections and amid growing protests over high fuel prices, setting up a potential parliamentary battle that could threaten the government's stability.
The far-right Alternative for Germany party won a record 44% in Saxony-Anhalt's state election, its strongest showing yet, but fell short of a majority needed to form Germany's first far-right regional government since World War II. The victory, led by charismatic candidate Ulrich Siegmund, puts pressure on other parties to break Germany's traditional 'firewall' against cooperating with the AfD.
The Alternative for Germany party achieved its biggest electoral victory since the Nazi era, winning nearly 44% in Saxony-Anhalt and more than doubling its previous vote share. The result has intensified debate over whether other parties should break Germany's 'firewall' against cooperating with the far-right.
Germany's Alternative for Germany party leads polls ahead of Sunday's state election in Saxony-Anhalt, with potential to form the country's first far-right state government since World War II. The outcome could mark a historic shift in German politics.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's administration reached 1,413 consecutive days in office, surpassing Silvio Berlusconi's record to become Italy's longest-running government since World War II, marking rare political stability in a country known for frequent government changes.
Jens Spahn, a senior leader in Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservative party and parliamentary group leader, resigned after facing backlash for fathering a child through a U.S. surrogate despite previously opposing legalization of surrogacy.
Hungary's parliament approved a constitutional amendment to oust President Tamás Sulyok, whom Prime Minister Péter Magyar called a 'puppet' of former premier Viktor Orbán. The move represents a major power shake-up in Hungarian politics.
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen announced she will run for president in 2027 after an appeals court upheld her embezzlement conviction but shortened her ban on holding public office. The court ordered her to wear an electronic monitoring ankle tag for one year, creating logistical and political challenges for her campaign.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators clashed with riot police while attempting to block the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party's annual conference in Erfurt, Germany, where delegates overwhelmingly reelected party leaders including Alice Weidel. The protests come as the AfD has become Germany's most popular party in polling.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced Saturday he will resign within weeks and call early presidential and parliamentary elections, following 18 months of youth-led anti-government protests. The move could allow him to transition to prime minister if his party wins the ballot.
The European Parliament passed controversial migration legislation permitting member states to establish detention centers outside EU borders and conduct home searches, with conservatives joining far-right groups to approve measures critics say weaken asylum protections.
Armenians voted in parliamentary elections on June 7, 2026, with exit polls showing the pro-EU ruling party in the lead as Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's government seeks to loosen ties with Moscow and deepen cooperation with the West despite mounting Russian pressure.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced the formation of a new center-left minority coalition government after months of negotiations following inconclusive elections in March 2026. The agreement maintains her leadership amid ongoing tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump over Greenland.
Prime Minister Robert Abela's Labour Party secured a record fourth successive general election victory in Malta, though with a reduced majority. Abela had called the snap election in April, four years into his term, amid concerns that war in Iran and economic instability could weaken his government's support.
Danish center-right Venstre party leader Troels Lund Poulsen was charged with leading coalition negotiations to form a new government after Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen's effort failed. The development follows bruising midterm election results that left Frederiksen weakened.
Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan's government fell after socialists and far-right parties, including MAGA-linked George Simion's party, voted no confidence. Simion is widely considered the mastermind behind the government's collapse.