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Science & Technology

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized the European Green Deal's "ideological approach" and pledged to push to correct its most "self-destructive" policies, like a ban on the sale of new combustion engine vehicles in the European Union after 2035, according to a transcript of her speech the Italian government published on Sept. 18. 

Italy, EU: Italy's Meloni Pledges To Push for EU 2035 Combustion Engine Vehicle Ban Reversal

Lithuania

Germany

Finland

Latvia

France

Estonia

Romania

Spain

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled her team of Commissioners, a press release by the Commission shows Sept. 17. 

EU: Von der Leyen Unveils New European Commission

The Italian government aims to reduce its fiscal deficit to below 3% of gross domestic product by 2026 to comply with new EU rules on fiscal consolidation, Bloomberg reported on Sept. 5, citing sources close to the planning.

Italy: Rome Announces Ambitious Goal to Reduce Fiscal Deficit Below 3% by 2026

Italy's opposition parties collected the necessary 500,000 signatures to call for a referendum to repeal a recently approved law granting Italian regions more powers and fiscal autonomy, Corriere della Sera reported on Aug. 21.

Italy: Opposition Pushes for Referendum on New Law Granting Regions More Autonomy

Canada

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Afghanistan

The Afghan Taliban's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it would not honor documents, including passports and visas, issued by diplomats linked to the former Western-backed Islamic Republic of Afghanistan at several missions in Europe and other Western countries, AP reported on July 30. 

Afghanistan: Taliban Disavows Some Afghan Diplomatic Missions in Europe and Other Western Countries

China

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on a four-day visit to China, Reuters reported on July 29.

Italy, China: Meloni in China To Relaunch Bilateral Ties With Beijing After Rome's BRI Exit

Netherlands

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

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

Assessments

United States

Russia

A Russian warship transits the Neva River in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Cyber

Military & Security

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Russia's risk tolerance for physical and cyber operations against Western targets appears to be increasing, raising the likelihood of more disruptive and/or violent attacks.

A More Brazen Russia Slowly Raises the Specter of a NATO Confrontation

Mexico

Algeria

The Mexican Senate building in December 2019 in Mexico City. The Mexican Senate will begin considering a controversial judicial reform Sept. 8 that it plans to vote on by Sept. 11.

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

The Weekly Rundown: Judicial Reform in Mexico, An EU Competitiveness Report

Denmark

Slovenia

Hungarian police officers check cars at the Nickelsdorf-Hegyeshalom border crossing on the Austrian-Hungarian border on March 18, 2020. 

Increasing levels of migration, terrorism activity and Russian aggression in Europe are driving Schengen countries to tighten their border controls, heralding a more spotty functioning of the passport-free travel zone.

Growing Border Controls Threaten Europe's Schengen Area

Iran

Israel

Palestinian Territories

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

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

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.

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

Niger

South Africa

Argentina

Turkey

Hong Kong SAR, China

Japan

South Korea

Taiwan

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Bangladesh

India

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

Malta

Czech Republic

Bulgaria

Portugal

Croatia

Cyprus

Slovakia

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

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

<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

Italy, EU: Italy's Meloni Pledges To Push for EU 2035 Combustion Engine Vehicle Ban Reversal

EU: Von der Leyen Unveils New European Commission

Italy: Rome Announces Ambitious Goal to Reduce Fiscal Deficit Below 3% by 2026

Italy: Opposition Pushes for Referendum on New Law Granting Regions More Autonomy

Afghanistan: Taliban Disavows Some Afghan Diplomatic Missions in Europe and Other Western Countries

Italy, China: Meloni in China To Relaunch Bilateral Ties With Beijing After Rome's BRI Exit

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

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