Oct 5, 2026, 02:00 AM UTC

Former French presidential candidate Ségolène Royal has officially gathered the required endorsements to participate in the upcoming left-wing primary ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Royal stated she kept "many friendships within the PS" to secure her candidacy alongside six other contenders.

Organized by the Socialist Party and Place Publique, the primary will be held over two rounds in October. Contenders include Socialist Party First Secretary Olivier Faure, whereas Communist Party chief Fabien Roussel is running separately.

Royal's bid has raised internal tensions after she labeled opponent Raphaël Glucksmann the "chouchou des médias," breaking a previous promise to avoid attacking fellow candidates.

Sources: La Tribune, Le Figaro, Le Monde, Libération.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets across Spain on Saturday to demand affordable housing and stronger tenant rights. Demonstrations occurred in around 50 locations, including Barcelona, Valencia, and Madrid, where local authorities reported 70,000 attendees while organizers claimed significantly higher figures.

The nationwide action followed the Spanish parliament's rejection on Friday of emergency housing measures proposed by the government. Demonstrators voiced anger over rising rents, ongoing evictions, and a national deficit estimated at 700,000 homes. Tenant organizations warned of escalating actions, including potential rent strikes, if lawmakers fail to implement structural housing reforms.

Sources: Digi24, HotNews, Koha, Expresso das Ilhas, Delo

Czech child welfare authorities recorded over 10,000 cases of abuse, neglect, or exploitation last year, a multi-decade high that saw 3,616 children removed from their homes. Experts caution these figures reflect only a fraction of cases and cite structural gaps, including missing evaluation guidelines and insufficient specialized support for vulnerable families.

At the same time, the Czech Republic is completing a seven-billion-koruna EU-funded expansion of early childcare facilities, facing criticism regarding absent quality standards for the new centers. Simultaneously, the European Commission introduced the proposed EU KIDS Act, which aims to ban social media access for children under 13 and enforce age restrictions across member states.

Sources: Deník N, Hospodářské noviny, iROZHLAS, Respect, Seznam Zprávy

US President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have dismissed media claims that the American military faces critical ammunition shortages following recent operations against Iran. Trump stated on Truth Social that the nation maintains "huge amounts" of specialized stockpiles, while threatening leakers and journalists with severe prison sentences.

The administration's stance contrasts with an independent oversight report submitted by the Department of Defense to Congress. According to the document, the armed forces face "strategic inventory bottlenecks" and supply gaps directly resulting from the conflict, alongside detailed breakdowns of military spending. Previous media reports had suggested that depleted missile reserves influenced decisions to halt further military actions against Iranian targets.

Sources: Die Zeit, FAZ, ORF, Tagesschau.

Sweden's final election tally has confirmed a narrow victory for the center-left opposition, paving the way for Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson to form a new government. The results bring an end to Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s right-leaning coalition, though Andersson faces a tight parliamentary margin.

To secure a majority in the 349-seat Riksdag, Andersson must assemble a four-party coalition amid policy friction, notably between the Left Party and the Centre Party. The election campaign ended under heightened scrutiny after Andersson called for an investigation into potential Russian influence operations linked to the Sweden Democrats.

Sources: La Vanguardia, NEXTA, Politico Europe (Defense), The Insider, The Local Sweden