Oct 16, 2026, 04:30 PM UTC

Former presidential candidate Ségolène Royal has secured the necessary endorsements to enter the left-wing primary ahead of France's 2027 presidential election. The contest, organized by the Socialist Party and Place Publique, will take place over two rounds in October.

Royal joins a field of seven candidates, including Socialist Party First Secretary Olivier Faure, who confirmed his candidacy. While Royal emphasized having retained "beaucoup d'amitiés au sein du PS," her recent criticism labeling rival Raphaël Glucksmann the "chouchou des médias" drew scrutiny. Separately, Communist Party leader Fabien Roussel announced he will bypass the joint primary to launch an independent campaign.

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

Turkish opposition leader Özgür Özel has strongly criticized the transfer of Istanbul's Üsküdar district deputy mayoralty to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Speaking at a rally in Üsküdar Square and during a broadcast on Koza TV, Özel condemned the election outcome, describing the process as "the darkest, most polluted" moment in recent Turkish political history. Addressing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Özel questioned his commitment to democracy following the shift in local governance, noting that opposition Mayor Sinem Dedetaş had originally won the district with clean votes.

Özel also commented on a recent discussion between Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Mansur Yavaş and President Erdoğan, providing context on why the interaction took place despite ongoing tensions between the parties.

Sources: Bianet, Cumhuriyet.

In Geneva, 128 UN member states agreed on a standardized definition for autonomous weapon systems, marking a preliminary step toward potential global regulation. The milestone coincided with warnings from the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross against crossing a "moral red line" by allowing machines to target humans autonomously.

Concurrently, military integration of artificial intelligence is accelerating. Germany's Defence Ministry confirmed that while ultimate human authority governs force, weapon systems may act semi-autonomously depending on operational context. Germany also opted against using US firm Palantir's data analysis tools, developing an in-house alternative instead. Meanwhile, Ukraine and NATO jointly created two AI applications to forecast hostile drone activity and optimize artillery targeting.

Sources: Correctiv, Der Spiegel, Der Standard, Die Zeit, Hartpunkt

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has urged citizens not to fear increased military activity along the border with Russia, describing the deployment and fortification efforts as proactive measures to mitigate security risks and prevent potential provocations. Speaking on national defense, Nausėda emphasized that taking early precautions is preferable to reacting after an incident occurs.

Addressing broader defense issues, Nausėda acknowledged gaps in Lithuania's air defense systems and delays in joint drone production ventures with Ukraine. He also discussed internal friction between the defense ministry and military leadership, alongside public concern over recent ministry controversies that he warned could cause lasting damage. Nevertheless, Nausėda reiterated that early border preparation remains vital for long-term national security.

Sources: 15min, LSM

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković announced economic targets for the country, projecting gross domestic product to surpass €100 billion by 2026. The government anticipates a 2.4 percent annual growth rate while targeting an increase in average net monthly wages to €1,600 by 2028. To bolster long-term competitiveness, officials also outlined plans to direct nearly €3 billion into an industrial development strategy running through 2034.

Despite official optimism, business representatives and economic analysts expressed concern over the sustainability of current trends. Mislav Balković, president of the Croatian Employers' Association, cautioned that wage growth is outpacing productivity, emphasizing that future expansion must be driven by the private sector rather than public spending. Meanwhile, former economy minister Ljubo Jurčić criticized the current trajectory, describing the economy as floating "without an engine and without a rudder," and argued that growth must exceed 5 percent to ensure long-term stability.

Sources: HRT Vijesti, Index, Klix, Poslovni dnevnik, Vijesti.