Eurotopics.net

Last Friday, Estonian border guards reported sightings of several heavily armed soldiers without insignia in the Saatse Boot area, where the road to the village of Saatse runs through Russian territory for one kilometre. The Estonian authorities closed the road as a precautionary measure. The incident has reignited the debate over whether the Baltic states are under threat.

After resigning, Sébastien Lecornu has been appointed French prime minister for a second time. However, several key portfolios in his cabinet remain in the hands of the previous incumbents. The government policy statement and 2026 draft budget due to be presented today will now be decisive, as both the far left and far right opposition groups in parliament have already tabled motions of no confidence which will likely be put to vote on Wednesday.

In local elections in Portugal on Sunday, the two major parties, Prime Minister Luís Montenegro's centre-right PSD and the Socialist Party (PS), won a majority of the votes in most cities and municipalities. By contrast, the right-wing populist Chega party, which had emerged as the main opposition party in the parliamentary elections in May, fell far short of expectations in these elections.

Despite resigning last Monday, Sébastien Lecornu has now been appointed French prime minister for a second time. After presenting a new cabinet in which several key portfolios remain in the hands of the previous incumbents, he now faces the task of presenting a draft budget by Wednesday. Commentators doubt whether this means France is heading for calmer times.