Oct 6, 2026, 03:00 PM UTC

Tobias Rausch has been elected president of the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament, becoming the first politician from Alternative for Germany (AfD) to hold a state parliamentary presidency in post-war Germany.

During the vote in Magdeburg, the 35-year-old parliamentary manager received 48 votes, comfortably passing the required 42-vote threshold. With the AfD holding 39 seats, at least nine votes came from representatives outside his party. Twenty-nine lawmakers voted against Rausch, while five abstained. Outside the parliament building, around 500 demonstrators gathered in protest against the election. Reports also noted that Rausch previously faced scrutiny regarding a nepotism scandal involving family members within the party.

Sources: Correctiv, DW, FAZ, ORF, Tagesschau

Portugal's parliament has defeated a motion of censure introduced by the far-right Chega party against the minority Democratic Alliance government.

The proposal targeted recent controversies involving the Minister of Internal Administration. The motion failed following a debate lasting over three hours, as the ruling coalition voted against it while the main opposition Socialist Party abstained.

Government officials criticized Chega for forcing a vote on a measure destined to fail. Minister of the Presidency António Leitão Amaro stated that the public would render a political judgment on Chega's parliamentary tactics, while reaffirming that the executive continues to govern without relying on a preferential partner in parliament.

Sources: Diário de Notícias (DN), Expresso, RTP (Rádio e Televisão de Portugal)

Italian political figures, including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani, have criticized the judiciary following the swift release of a 42-year-old sexual assault suspect in Turin. The suspect, accused of abusing a 13-year-old girl, was freed by a preliminary judge after expressing remorse, leading Justice Minister Carlo Nordio to order formal court inspections.

The National Magistrates Association rejected the political backlash, asserting that attacks on judges undermine the rule of law while disregarding systemic issues like prison overcrowding. Meanwhile, statistical reports highlight that severe crime in Italy continues to decline, with utility fraud dropping 27 percent over three years and major cities maintaining lower crime rates than many Western counterparts.

Sources: ANSA, Corriere della Sera, Il Messaggero, Il Sole 24 Ore, La Repubblica.

US President Donald Trump has called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to cease strikes against Russian oil infrastructure, asserting that the attacks exacerbate global fuel shortages. The request coincides with heightened scrutiny over peace negotiations, where a multi-billion-dollar transaction involving Russian energy firm Lukoil has surfaced. Reports suggest business associates linked to key US negotiators, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, may share ties to the proposed deal.

Concurrently, the Kremlin rejected prospects for strategic dialogue, pointing to US missile deployments in Europe as an obstacle. Former diplomats and analysts criticized Washington's transactional approach, warning that treating security rivalries as business deals misinterprets Russian foreign policy objectives.

Sources: Ekonomický deník, Hospodářské noviny, iROZHLAS, Respect, Seznam Zprávy