Oct 25, 2026, 09:30 PM UTC

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced his resignation on September 27, stepping down seven months before his second five-year term officially concludes. Under the Serbian constitution, Vučić is barred from serving a third consecutive term as head of state.

His resignation triggers snap presidential elections, which must take place within 90 days. The move aligns the presidential vote with early parliamentary elections scheduled for October 25 following the dissolution of the national assembly. Outgoing parliamentary speaker Ana Brnabić has assumed the role of acting president while a caretaker government oversees state administration. By stepping down early, Vučić synchronizes the executive transition with the ongoing legislative election campaign.

Sources: Adevărul, Digi24, HotNews, TV8, Ziarul de Gardă.

Former French presidential candidate Ségolène Royal has secured the required endorsements to compete in the left-wing primary ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Jointly organised by the Socialist Party and Place Publique, the vote will take place across two rounds in October, featuring seven declared contenders including Socialist Party First Secretary Olivier Faure.

Royal praised her enduring relationships within the Socialist Party upon securing her spot. However, her entry has heightened internal friction following her public criticism of rival candidate Raphaël Glucksmann.

Meanwhile, fragmentation on the French left persists as Communist Party National Secretary Fabien Roussel announced a standalone presidential bid outside the primary structure.

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

Nationwide demonstrations in France on Saturday, October 24, resulted in 1,314 detentions across the country and left 53 members of law enforcement injured, official figures show. In Paris alone, authorities placed 126 individuals in police custody following clashes during the rallies.

The demonstrations took place alongside heightened security measures surrounding the National Rally (RN) party congress in Orléans, where local officials imposed a curfew for minors under 15 and banned undeclared gatherings on Sunday. Thousands of police officers and gendarmes deployed across major French cities to maintain order following earlier unrest. Despite strict security arrangements and drone surveillance in key areas, tensions remained high throughout the day as large groups gathered in multiple regions.

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

Romania will launch its 400 million to 500 million lei Casa Verde Baterii program in October, introducing a new selection system for residential energy storage subsidies. Environment Minister Diana Buzoianu confirmed that the initiative will abandon its previous first-come, first-served mechanism. Instead, applications will be scored based on individual co-financing contributions and total installed capacity.

While official reports highlight successful residential transitions toward renewable energy, the updated guidelines face criticism from prosumer organizations. Industry representatives argue the scoring criteria favor higher-budget applicants and exclude existing storage owners. Concurrently, applicants in broader green funding schemes report administrative delays, bureaucratic hurdles, and contractor estimates significantly exceeding market rates.

Sources: Adevărul, Economedia, HotNews, Moldova1, Ziarul de Gardă.

The Teknofest Blue Homeland 2026 maritime exposition concluded at the Gölcük Shipyard Command in Kocaeli, highlighting Türkiye's advancing naval technologies and defense capabilities. Co-organized by the Ministry of National Defense and the T3 Foundation, the four-day event featured a range of warships, aerial platforms, missile systems, and uncrewed vessels.

Among the major hardware unveilings was FNSS's İ-ZAHA, an uncrewed modular amphibious vehicle designed to execute high-risk landing operations alongside existing crewed platforms. The Turkish Navy also displayed the TCG İmbat, a Kılıç-II class fast attack craft capable of reaching speeds up to 40 knots while utilizing a specialized hull design to minimize its radar profile. Alongside defense hardware, the event hosted national engineering contests focusing on uncrewed surface and underwater technologies.

Sources: Anadolu Agency, Daily Sabah, Defence Turk, TRT Haber