Europe

• France: implications of Sarkozy’s unexpected conviction for corruption 3 October 2025
  Former president Nicolas Sarkozy has been convicted of criminal conspiracy and sentenced to five years in prison, marking a historic and dramatic moment in French politics. The Paris court ruled that he engaged in an attempted ‘corruption pact’ with Muammar Gaddafi’s regime to secure millions in illegal funding for his…
• Czech Republic: former PM poised for comeback, faces difficult balancing act 3 October 2025
  Billionaire and former prime minister Andrej Babis is poised for a political comeback as his ANO party leads polls ahead of the October 3-4 elections. Having shifted from a liberal to a national-conservative position, Babis is promising voters financial relief and protection from external pressures such as immigration and climate…
• Moldova: president warns of Russian interference as elections near 25 September 2025
  Days before crucial parliamentary elections, Moldova’s president Maia Sandu has warned that Russian-backed plots are threatening her nation’s independence and European aspirations. Police have arrested 74 people accused of planning violent unrest, seizing weapons and explosives allegedly supplied through Russian training in Serbia. Sandu accused the Kremlin of pouring hundreds…
• Italy: two days of strikes in support of Palestine cause widespread disruption 25 September 2025
  Thousands of Italian workers and students staged a nationwide general strike and demonstrations on 21 September. Organised by grassroots unions and supported by Italy’s largest trade union, CGIL, the walkout disrupted public transport, trains, schools, and ports. Major cities such as Rome and Milan experienced severe transit delays, while sit-ins…
• Russia and Belarus conduct military exercises as NATO feels the heat 18 September 2025
  Watched by US military officers and delegates from Turkey and Hungary, Russia and Belarus have launched large-scale military exercises across their territories and nearby seas, showcasing advanced weaponry and tactical nuclear capabilities near NATO’s eastern flank. The drills, involving roughly 6,800 troops as well as fighter jets and missiles, practised…