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Politics

European Union leaders failed to agree on top appointments for the bloc during their first informal meeting in Brussels since the June 6-9 European Parliament elections, delaying a decision until the European Council summit on June 27-28, Reuters reported June 17. 

EU: Von der Leyen Likely to be Confirmed as European Commission President Despite Delayed Decision

Austria

The far-right Identity and Democracy (ID) group in the European Parliament has expelled Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party following a series of scandals, including remarks by the party's leading election candidate Maximilian Krah to Italian newspaper La Repubblica on May 18 that the "SS were not all criminals," German news agency dpa reported May 23.

Germany, EU: Europe's Far-Right Divisions Widen as Germany's AfD is Expelled from EU Parliament Group

Economics

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

EU member states formally adopted proposals to further reduce carbon dioxide emissions from heavy-duty vehicles and to loosen environmental requirements under the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), two separate press releases from the EU Council show on May 13. 

EU: Member States Approve Stricter Emissions Reduction Targets for Trucks, Looser Environmental Rules for Farmers

Energy

The Italian government will seek to pass legislation by the end of the current parliamentary term in 2027 that returns nuclear power to Italy, Italy's Environment and Energy Security Minister Gilberto Pichetto said during an interview with Radio 24 on May 2.

Italy: Rome To Implement Legislation for Return of Nuclear Power by 2027

Italy's government approved a 5 billion euro ($5.34 billion) package introducing a two-year tax break for companies hiring women and workers under 35 as permanent employees, Il Sole 24 Ore reported on April 30.

Italy: Rome Unveils Economic Incentive Package Ahead of EU Elections

Canada

United States

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Japan

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India

The Group of Seven's energy ministers agreed to phase out the use of coal in power generation "during the first half of (the) 2030s," according to a communique released on April 30.

Global: G7 Agrees To Phase Out Coal-Fired Power Generation by 2035

Benin

Cote d'Ivoire

Ghana

Niger

Military & Security

The United States agreed to withdraw troops from Niger and vacate its two military facilities in the country, AP reported on April 20.

Niger: U.S. To Withdraw Troops From Niger, Seek New Drone Base in West Africa

Cyber

The British government is beginning to draft legislation to regulate artificial intelligence, or AI, the Financial Times reported on April 15. 

Italy, U.K.: Leaked Reports Highlight Governments' Concern Around AI Oversight 

Assessments

Iran

Israel

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Russia

Voters on June 6 in The Hague, the first day of the election for the European Parliament. In a vote that will shape the political direction and strategic priorities of the bloc for the next five years, elections for the European Parliament run from June 6-9.

Global Elections

Israel-Hamas Conflict

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: BRICS Foreign Ministers Meet, European Parliamentary Elections

Europe

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni speaks during a meeting at Palazzo Chigi in Rome, Italy, on May 13, 2024. 

Meloni's party is expected to perform strongly in the upcoming European Parliament elections, which would grant the Italian prime minister more sway over EU policymaking in the years ahead.

Under Meloni, Italy's Influence in the EU Is Set To Grow

Ukraine

A view of the Russian Central Bank headquarters is seen in downtown Moscow on May 26, 2022.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

To unlock more money for Kyiv, the U.S. and Europe may confiscate Russian government assets stashed in Western nations, which would escalate the greater economic tit-for-tat between Moscow and the West.

Ukraine's Western Allies Mull Seizing Frozen Russian Assets

Columns

On Geopolitics

Burkina Faso

Mali

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Hong Kong SAR, China

South Korea

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Poland

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Bangladesh

Pakistan

In this scorecard, we take a critical look at our successes and slip-ups in forecasting geopolitical events over the past year.

Grading Our 2023 Annual Forecast

Snapshots

Tunisia

Tunisian dinar.

Tunisia will push European states for more aid as migrants use the country as a launching point to the Continent.

Tunisia Angles for More European Aid as Migrants Travel North

Luxembourg

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Latvia

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Slovenia

Ireland

Hungary

Members of the European Parliament take part in voting on the Artificial Intelligence Act during a plenary session at the European Parliament.

The EU's recently negotiated Artificial Intelligence Act will bolster the European Union's dominance as a regulatory heavyweight in emerging technologies, yet anticipated enforcement challenges and stringent stipulations with the Act risk impeding AI innovation within the bloc.

EU Lawmakers Clinch Agreement on Artificial Intelligence Act 

Demonstrators hold Spanish flags during a protest called by the country’s far-right Vox party in Madrid, Spain, on Nov. 12, 2023. 

Far-right parties are expected to perform strongly in sub-national, national and EU elections next year, portending significant shifts in governance and policies.

In Europe, Far-Right Parties Are Again on the Rise

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni waits to welcome Bahrain's king (not pictured) at Palazzo Chigi in Rome, Italy, on Oct. 17, 2023. 

The most right-wing Italian government in decades has so far also proven to be one of the most stable. But that could change if Italy's economic fragility gives way to internal fractures in Meloni's coalition.

Reviewing Italy's First Year Under Meloni: From Anti-Establishment to Pragmatic

Denmark

Israeli and EU Flags

A lack of a unified EU response to the Israel-Hamas War highlights divisions among member states' foreign policies, complicating the bloc's plans to play a meaningful role in the conflict, as well as efforts to maintain unified support for Ukraine.

Israel-Hamas War Highlights Divisions Among EU Member States

Rail cars loaded with steel sit at the ThyssenKrupp Schwelgern steel plant on May 30, 2018 in Duisburg, Germany. 

The European Union and the United States will increase efforts to deconflict their trade and climate policies ahead of the upcoming U.S. presidential and EU parliamentary elections, but lingering disagreements will not allow for a complete respite of Trump-era tariffs on EU steel and aluminum.

EU-U.S. Steel and Aluminum Negotiations Make Limited Headway

The Italian and EU flags are seen outside government buildings in Rome.

The changes would have a limited negative impact on Italy's economy, which suggests Rome's qualms are instead largely based on political calculations.

Understanding Italy's Opposition to Reforming the EU's Bailout Fund

Silvio Berlusconi leaves a polling station after voting in Italy's September 2022 snap election. The former prime minister died on June 12, 2023, at the age of 86.

The death of Italy's longest-serving prime minister marks the end of an era. But Berlusconi's legacy will live on through his enduring impact on Italian and European politics.

The Complex Legacy of Italy's Silvio Berlusconi

<p>Italy is a peninsular country in southern Europe that borders France, Switzerland, Austria&nbsp;and&nbsp;Slovenia. Two independent states, Vatican City and San Marino, exist within its territory. The country is mountainous, with the Apennines stretching the length of the peninsula and the Alps acting as a natural barrier between Italy and its neighbors. It also has the two largest islands in the Mediterranean, Sicily&nbsp;and&nbsp;Sardinia. Italy&#39;s core is the Po Valley, one of the most prosperous regions in Europe and the heart of the industrial north. The southern part of the country has a more agricultural profile and has traditionally been less developed. Italy&#39;s capital, Rome, was once the heart of a sprawling empire, which stretched over much of Europe, North Africa&nbsp;and&nbsp;the Levant.</p><p>After the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the late 5th century, Italy was fragmented into small kingdoms, republics&nbsp;and&nbsp;duchies. Italy&#39;s privileged position in the heart of the Mediterranean and the wealth of its economic centers made the peninsula a territory of constant invasion, from Germanic tribes in the 5th century to the French, Austrian and Spanish empires in the 18th and 19th centuries. Moreover, Italy&#39;s rugged geography led to the development of strong regional identities. As a result, the country didn&#39;t achieve political unity until the 1860s. Italy&#39;s main geographic challenge is to preserve its territorial unity and develop a relatively stable central government while dealing with strong regional interests and fractious political forces. The eurozone crisis has intensified this challenge.</p>

SITUATION REPORTS

EU: Von der Leyen Likely to be Confirmed as European Commission President Despite Delayed Decision

Germany, EU: Europe's Far-Right Divisions Widen as Germany's AfD is Expelled from EU Parliament Group

EU: Member States Approve Stricter Emissions Reduction Targets for Trucks, Looser Environmental Rules for Farmers

Italy: Rome To Implement Legislation for Return of Nuclear Power by 2027

Italy: Rome Unveils Economic Incentive Package Ahead of EU Elections

Global: G7 Agrees To Phase Out Coal-Fired Power Generation by 2035

Niger: U.S. To Withdraw Troops From Niger, Seek New Drone Base in West Africa

Italy, U.K.: Leaked Reports Highlight Governments' Concern Around AI Oversight

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