Europe·since 26 May·388 entries
Populist and anti-liberal political forces are gaining institutional ground within the European Union, testing and at times reshaping the boundaries of liberal democracy through electoral victories, legal challenges, and conflicts with EU frameworks.
AI text
After the 17 October cost-of-living protests, French authorities imposed night curfews in Paris, Lyon and other cities on 20 October. On 22 October they banned demonstrations in Paris, Lyon, Lille and Grenoble, which critics call an infringement on the right to protest. Police are preparing for a Yellow Vest protest called for 24 October.
Le Pen leads 2027 polling, before and after the violence, with Mélenchon second. She presents herself as the alternative to a government she calls powerless.
The Patriots for Europe became the third-largest group on 21 October with 85 MEPs, the same day European prosecutors searched staff offices of the group. The EPP joined far-right groups on 22 October to back a three-year delay to methane rules.
Alice Weidel's AfD proposes keeping the euro but narrowing the EU and shrinking the Commission's role. In Saxony-Anhalt the AfD seeks to install Germany's first far-right state premier in a December vote, and regional CDU members could supply votes, testing Merz's firewall. In Romania, prosecutors sent AUR vice-president Dan Tănase to trial on 22 October; AUR polls near 40%. Spain votes on 29 November.
Marine Le Pen National Rally leader
Blames the far left for the 17 October unrest, backs the police and presents herself as the law-and-order alternative while leading 2027 polling.
22 Oct
Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) German far-right party
Needs outside votes to elect Ulrich Siegmund in Saxony-Anhalt and is playing down the publication of more than 421,000 of its emails after a cyberattack.
22 Oct
Péter Magyar Hungarian Prime Minister
His reforms are acknowledged by EU ministers, who keep Article 7 open and ask for further changes.
19 Oct
Jarosław Kaczyński Law and Justice leader
Told a 17 October rally at the Constitutional Tribunal that the National Bank of Poland may soon need to be defended.
17 Oct
Andrej Babiš Czech Prime Minister, ANO leader
His ANO won no seat in the second Senate round, and his coalition will not reach a Senate majority.
20 Oct
Emmanuel Macron French President
Refused Interior Minister Nunez's resignation offer on 19 October; curfews and fast-track courts are now in place.
22 Oct
Karol Nawrocki Polish President
A presidential aide says he will likely veto the two abortion-loosening bills passed on 20 October.
21 Oct
Patriots for Europe European Parliament far-right group
Third-largest group at 85 MEPs, now facing an EPPO search of staff offices over its predecessor's funds, and denies legal continuity.
22 Oct
AUR poll share in Romania (%)
40→40 %
10/10 → 22/10
Marine Le Penopen
She would hold a constitutional referendum on a public veil ban and national preference.
10 Oct · if elected in 2027 · lemonde.fr
Marine Le Penopen
A Le Pen government would cut France's EU contribution by more than €11 billion from 2027.
8 Oct · from 2027 · lemonde.fr
Constitutional Tribunal president Bogdan Święczkowski referred judge Magdalena Bentkowska to the disciplinary spokesperson on 22 October after she led Krystian Markiewicz into the judges' section. The dispute over oaths before the president continues.
Romanian prosecutors sent AUR vice-president and lawmaker Dan Tănase to trial on 22 October over alleged incitement to hatred and discrimination against foreign workers, citing his August 2025 social-media remarks. AUR polls at about 40%, making it Romania's most popular party.
The European Parliament adopted a position on 22 October delaying the EU's methane regulations by three years. The European People's Party joined far-right groups to secure the majority, aligning Parliament with industry concerns about supply disruption.
Czech communist MEP Kateřina Konečná joined the Patriots for Europe on 21 October, lifting the group to 85 MEPs and past the European Conservatives and Reformists as the European Parliament's third-largest group.
Officials acting for the European Public Prosecutor's Office searched staff offices of the Patriots for Europe group in the European Parliament on 21 October, Reuters reported. The probe concerns alleged EU-funds mismanagement by predecessor Identity and Democracy, where Parliament found €4.3 million in irregular items.
More than 421,000 emails linked to Germany's AfD were published online after a cyberattack, according to reporting on 21 October. The party is playing down the leak, and its political impact is unclear.
A Lyon court convicted 18 people after Monday hearings, and Paris heard about 70 cases on 20 October, in the first fast-track sentencing after the riots. Police are preparing a massive deployment for a Yellow Vest protest called for 24 October.
Poland's parliament approved two bills on 20 October that would loosen strict abortion rules, including decriminalisation measures, Bloomberg reported. A presidential aide said a veto by President Karol Nawrocki is likely.
French authorities announced localized night curfews in central Paris, Lyon and other cities on 20 October after protests over living costs turned violent. AP reported at least 2,400 arrests, and Prime Minister Lecornu said a large security operation is planned for Saturday.
MEPs approved an emergency debate on recent violence in France, Italy and Belgium on 20 October, RTÉ reported, after competing far-right and far-left motions were rejected. The adopted motion was backed by the EPP and the ECR.
People's Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo confirmed on 20 October that his party is discussing coordination with Vox on Senate lists for the 29 November election, aiming to secure a majority and counter a Socialist-led left-wing agreement.
Romania's parliament approved Luca Niculescu as prime minister on 20 October after three failed attempts to form a government. The PNL-Social Democrat arrangement lasts six months, by which time a longer-term coalition deal is required, and was partly meant to avert snap elections.
Romania's National Liberals and Social Democrats agreed on 19 October to support independent prime minister-designate Luca Niculescu, POLITICO reported. The government is meant to last six months, with the PNL outside the cabinet, and aims to prevent an early election that could benefit AUR.
Macron refused the resignation offered by Interior Minister Laurent Nunez on 19 October, Reuters reported, asking him to stay to preserve police command and develop new measures against looting after protests over living costs turned violent.
Nationwide demonstrations in France on 17 October over inflation and education standards involved clashes, fires and looting, with more than 160 arrests. Marine Le Pen, who leads presidential polling, blamed the far left and backed the police.
ANO won no seat in the second round of Czech partial Senate elections, losing the only mandate it had been defending. First-round results indicate the government coalition will not reach a Senate majority, leaving opposition parties in control of the chamber.
Law and Justice leader Jarosław Kaczyński told a demonstration in front of the Constitutional Tribunal on 17 October that the National Bank of Poland may soon need to be defended. It follows a Sejm committee's recommendation of State Tribunal proceedings against governor Glapiński.
EU leaders ended their 16 October summit without agreeing a timetable for the 2028–34 budget, with Council President António Costa pressing for a rapid deal while governments stayed divided. Marine Le Pen argued a pre-election agreement would be a democratic scandal.
The AfD and BSW jointly backed a motion in the Saxony-Anhalt parliament on 15 October demanding an immediate end to German military support for Ukraine. It followed an early-October meeting of the parties, though the state classifies the AfD as confirmed right-wing extremist.
The European party grouping that includes Germany's AfD, Europe of Sovereign Nations, filed a 160-page submission on 15 October denying breaches of EU values. It offered new rules to hold national member parties to account, Politico reported, as it seeks to resist action by the EU party watchdog.
EU ministers on 14 October acknowledged rule-of-law reforms under Prime Minister Péter Magyar but concluded further changes were needed, leaving the Article 7 proceedings, opened by the European Parliament in 2018, unresolved.
Maciej Berek's oath as a Constitutional Tribunal judge began in the Sejm on 14 October, with Marshal Włodzimierz Czarzasty presiding. The ceremony takes place in parliament, as the Venice Commission has just issued an opinion on the president's powers over such oaths.
The Greens and SPD suspended exploratory coalition negotiations with Berlin's Left Party on 13 October while they assess whether antisemitism measures agreed the previous week remain in force, Reuters reported. The dispute also touches the Israel–Gaza conflict.
A Romanian court transferred pro-Russian former presidential candidate Călin Georgescu from police custody to 30 days of house arrest on 13 October, Reuters reported, while authorities investigate suspected fraud.
Hungary's parliament approved on 13 October, by 139 votes to 51, an amendment removing anti-LGBTQ provisions from the 2021 child protection law. It is the first rollback of Orbán-era restrictions since Prime Minister Péter Magyar took office in May.
Labour Minister and SPD co-leader Bärbel Bas resigned on 12 October after open attacks from coalition partners, Reuters reported. Chancellor Merz said the change would not alter the coalition agreement, as the government faces pressure from AfD gains in eastern state elections.
The Sejm commission investigating Pegasus sent prosecutors notifications of possible offences concerning 11 people, including former justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro. It says the spyware ran without the required security accreditation and that data left Polish territory.
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AUR poll share in Romania (%)
40→40 %
10/10 → 22/10
Marine Le Pen National Rally leader
22 Oct
Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) German far-right party
22 Oct
Péter Magyar Hungarian Prime Minister
19 Oct
Jarosław Kaczyński Law and Justice leader
17 Oct
Andrej Babiš Czech Prime Minister, ANO leader
20 Oct
Emmanuel Macron French President
22 Oct
Karol Nawrocki Polish President
21 Oct
Patriots for Europe European Parliament far-right group
22 Oct
Marine Le Penopen
She would hold a constitutional referendum on a public veil ban and national preference.
10 Oct · if elected in 2027
Marine Le Penopen
A Le Pen government would cut France's EU contribution by more than €11 billion from 2027.
8 Oct · from 2027