Parliament

Italy's parliament has approved a move toward restarting nuclear power, reversing a stance the country has held since abandoning nuclear energy after referendums following the Chernobyl disaster. The vote opens the way for new nuclear technology, including small modular reactors, as Italy seeks stable low-carbon energy supplies. Supporters frame it as energy security and climate policy; critics recall Italy's long-standing public opposition to nuclear power.

A judge has ordered the Canadian government to release secret records detailing how Nazi war criminals were allowed to settle in Canada after the Second World War. The ruling follows years of pressure for transparency over the wartime immigration of alleged Nazi collaborators, an issue that returned to prominence in 2023 when Canada's parliament honoured a veteran of a Nazi-linked unit. The files are expected to shed light on which officials knew what.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has called on parliamentary parties to support urgent measures to ease the country's housing crisis. The appeal came after the forced eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from her longtime Madrid home, an incident that sparked public anger, with around 600 people continuing to camp in protest near the property.

Iran's parliament is preparing a bill for the country to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The move would mark a major escalation in Tehran's long-running dispute with the West over its nuclear programme, and is drawing attention amid renewed tensions over inspections and sanctions.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he has instructed the government and parliament to cover all of Ukraine's existing financial needs for defense. He stressed that the government must fulfill its part of the task, amid continued pressure on the country's budget as the war with Russia grinds on and foreign aid remains uncertain.

Thousands of Israelis, joined by government ministers and members of parliament, have rallied in support of reestablishing Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip, which were dismantled and declared illegal under Israeli law when Israel withdrew in 2005. The demonstration reflects pressure on the Israeli government over the future of the territory during the ongoing war.

Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic has resigned ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for October, according to reports from Reuters and U.S. News & World Report. The announcement, if confirmed, would mark a major political shake-up in Serbia and reshape the race ahead of the vote. Details about the reasons for his resignation and his future role in politics remain limited.

Aleksandar Vučić has resigned, with the move coming as Serbia prepares to hold both parliamentary and presidential elections. The announcement lands at a pivotal moment for the country's politics, since Vučić has dominated Serbian public life as president. Details of the exact post he is vacating and the timing of the vote remain the focus of attention as parties begin positioning for the campaign.

A new study finds that Europe is overwhelmingly expanding legal access to abortion, with the procedure now legal almost everywhere in the EU. However, many countries still retain criminal penalties and practical barriers to care, and some Members of the European Parliament are calling for further EU-level action to guarantee access.

Pope Leo XIV said on Sunday that assisted dying was not "normal", speaking during his landmark visit to France. His comments come as the French parliament has legalised the practice for certain patients, placing the pontiff in direct tension with French law. The remarks drew attention as the visit highlighted the clash between Catholic teaching and France's secular legislation on end-of-life care.

Ukraine has imposed sanctions on 44 people whom Kyiv says were involved in organizing Russia's parliamentary elections in occupied Ukrainian territories. The vote, held in September in areas Moscow annexed but does not fully control, was widely condemned by Ukraine and its Western partners as illegitimate. The sanctions target individuals Ukraine considers complicit in entrenching Russian authority there.

France's far-right National Rally has secured enough Senate seats to form its own group in the upper house of parliament for the first time. The milestone marks a symbolic breakthrough for the party of Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, which has long struggled to convert its electoral strength into representation in the indirectly elected chamber, where local officials dominate.

France's far right has made gains in indirect Senate elections, expanding its presence in the upper house of parliament. The results add to the party's momentum in French politics and may complicate President Emmanuel Macron's ability to secure majorities in the chamber, where senators are elected by local officials rather than directly by voters.

France's Rassemblement National has formed a parliamentary group in the Senate for the first time, marking a historic step for Marine Le Pen's far-right party in the upper house of parliament. Reaching the threshold for an official group gives the party greater speaking time, committee seats and institutional legitimacy, and is being read as further evidence of its growing normalisation in French politics.

Germany's Alternative für Deutschland is back in the headlines amid debate over extremist parties gaining ground. In Thuringia, former BSW state chair Ulrike Wolf said she is open to a ban procedure against the AfD ahead of a hearing in the state parliament, adding momentum to discussions about whether the party should face legal action.

Early results from France's Senate elections indicate the far right will form a parliamentary group in the upper house for the first time. Reaching the threshold required for an official group marks a symbolic breakthrough for the party in an institution long dominated by mainstream conservatives, giving it greater speaking time and committee roles.

French commentary is focused on what is being described as a crisis of presidentialism in France, with Le Monde among the outlets framing the country's political turbulence in those terms. The debate centres on whether the Fifth Republic's strongly presidential model can still deliver stable governance amid a divided parliament and contested executive authority.

The Governor of the Turkish Central Bank is scheduled to speak before a parliamentary panel on October 6, according to Hürriyet Daily News. The appearance comes as Turkey's monetary policy, interest rate decisions and inflation remain under close scrutiny, and lawmakers are expected to question the bank's direction at the session.

The European Parliament is asking the European Commission in Brussels to provide funding to address a shortage of around one million health workers across Europe. The shortfall affects hospitals and care systems in EU member states, and the Parliament wants Brussels to back workforce measures with dedicated money. The issue highlights growing pressure on European healthcare systems as staff shortages worsen.

The European Central Bank is taking part in a hearing of the European Parliament's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, where lawmakers question central bank officials on monetary policy, inflation and eurozone financial stability. Such hearings are a regular part of the ECB's accountability to the Parliament, giving MEPs a chance to scrutinise decisions affecting the euro area economy.

Traders on prediction platform Polymarket now put a 56% probability on Spain holding a snap general election in 2026, up from under 20% only days earlier. The sharp move followed Catalan separatist party Junts joining the conservative PP and far-right Vox to defeat Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's two housing decrees in parliament, deepening doubts over his minority government's ability to survive.

Spanish politics is in focus as allies of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez say it is 'probable' he could call early elections. The trigger would be the rejection of his government's housing decrees, with Sánchez reportedly waiting to see 'how the street reacts' before deciding. The comments suggest growing tension between the government and parliament over housing policy, one of the most contested issues in Spain.

A report to the Italian Parliament is drawing attention for its measures on energy, including deviations affecting families, students, businesses and public administration. Coverage highlights provisions ranging from public transport to new incentives for renewables, with ANSA reporting on the plan and its expected impact on households and institutions.

Serbian politicians have returned to televised debates as the country prepares for a parliamentary election. The debates mark a renewed phase of campaigning, with parties using the broadcasts to reach voters and present their platforms. The election is being closely watched in the region, and the televised exchanges are drawing attention to the competing visions on offer.

Writing in the Guardian, Jane Turner urges MPs to act on end-of-life care, arguing that during the assisted dying debate politicians broadly agreed palliative care in the UK is in urgent need of reform. She says patients and their carers now expect Parliament to follow up its words with concrete fixes to a system she describes as broken.

Norway's Storting opening day is drawing attention to the royal family. Crown Princess Mette-Marit will not take part in the opening of parliament after all, while King Harald attends under pressure. The day also carries historical weight, with references to King Haakon opening the Storting for the first time as king, and commentary that the king never walks alone.

A German blogger has published a post on the two great traditions of liberal parliamentarism and their seating arrangements: the Anglo-Saxon Westminster model with opposing benches, and the continental European semicircle parliament. The post also ties in the recent speech by the German Federal President, connecting constitutional debate with parliamentary culture and design.

EU research ministers are urging Members of the European Parliament to allow dual-use research in the next Horizon Europe framework programme. The appeal means ministers want funding rules to cover research with both civilian and military applications, a shift from the current civilian-focused scope of the EU research programme as negotiations over the next framework advance.

A protest camp has been set up in Madrid's Puerta del Sol, drawing live coverage from Spanish media including Diario AS, where journalist Rubén Amón is among those reporting. The demonstrations come as Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez weighs whether to call early general elections, a possibility keeping Spanish politics in a state of uncertainty.