<p>To the west of Eurasia lays Europe, a region predisposed to division. It is surrounded on nearly all sides by islands and peninsulas that make it difficult for Europe to cohere. The northern half of the continent, moreover, sits on a plain whose short, meandering rivers tend to empower countries without forcing them to work with others. The southern half is situated on more mountainous terrain that has historically impeded the creation of strong, unified economies. As a result, Europe is a continent riven by pockets of distinct cultures whose differences are all too often irreconcilable.</p>

Europe is a continent riven by pockets of distinct cultures whose differences are all too often irreconcilable.

Europe

Belize

Andorra

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Czech Republic

Denmark

Estonia

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Holy See

Latvia

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Malta

North Macedonia

San Marino

Sweden

United Kingdom

Bulgaria

Portugal

Serbia

Croatia

Poland

Romania

Cyprus

Norway

Austria

Slovakia

Albania

Slovenia

Netherlands

Switzerland

Spain

Montenegro

Monaco

Italy

Ireland

Iceland

Hungary

Kosovo

Beyond Quantitative Easing

The Ukraine Conflict

The Politics of Pipelines

EU: Regional Blocs

Divided EU Foreign Policies

Brexit

The Fate of the Eurozone

Banking

Crossing Borders

Globalization

European Disintegration

Echoes of the Cold War

The Fight for Russia’s Borderlands

Assessments

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Nov. 12 at 10 Downing Street in central London. Growing internal divisions within the ruling Labour party over fiscal policy and declining popularity are increasing the likelihood of a leadership challenge against Starmer following the November budget or May 2026 local elections.

Politics

Growing internal divisions within the ruling Labour party over fiscal policy and declining popularity are increasing the likelihood of a leadership challenge against Prime Minister Keir Starmer following the November budget or May 2026 local elections.

Painful Upcoming Budget Likely To Amplify Starmer's Leadership Woes

Ukraine

Russia

A screen is seen during the International military anti drone exercise Baltic Trust 25 (BATT25) at the Selonia (Selija) military training ground near Viesite on Aug. 27, 2025.

Military & Security

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The European Union is pushing to develop continent-wide anti-drone capabilities, but financial, political and legal fragmentation will significantly slow progress and leave the bloc's defense vulnerable.

Despite Political Enthusiasm, EU Drone Defenses Face Obstacles to Implementation

South Sudan

Burundi

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Ethiopia

Kenya

Malawi

Mozambique

Rwanda

Tanzania

Uganda

Zambia

United States

China

Japan

The Geopolitics of Trade

Economics

Global Trade

Over the next decade, Kenya and Tanzania will compete for the title of East Africa's leading trade gateway, particularly as global demand for Central Africa's critical minerals grows. 

The Geopolitics of Trade: The Race to Unlock East Africa, Part 1 

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni addresses the Senate in Rome on Oct. 22, 2025. 

Despite Prime Minister Meloni's success in achieving rare political and financial stability, Italy's weak economic growth and the expiry of EU recovery funds in 2026 may compel her to abandon fiscal prudence ahead of the next election cycle.

Italy Struggles To Translate Political Stability Into Economic Growth

Venezuela

Uzbekistan

Tajikistan

Turkmenistan

Kazakhstan

Kyrgyzstan

Tanks on Sept. 23 in Caracas, Venezuela. The Trump administration has reportedly decided to attack military sites in Venezuela in strikes that could occur at any moment.

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Potential U.S. Strikes in Venezuela, U.S. Outreach in Central Asia

Columns

On Security

Madagascar

Nigeria

South Africa

Chile

Ecuador

Peru

Jordan

Lebanon

Morocco

Tunisia

Turkey

Indonesia

Philippines

Thailand

Bangladesh

Nepal

Fire rages through the Singha Durbar, the main administrative building for the Nepal government, in Kathmandu on Sept. 9, 2025, after youth protesters set fire to the building. 

Recent events in Nepal, Madagascar and elsewhere show how digitally coordinated, leaderless protests can succeed, but eventually face even larger challenges in sustaining the momentum for change.

Worldwide Gen Z Protesters May Be Disappointed With Their Success

Chancellor Friedrich Merz raises his hand in a vote at the Bundestag prior to a vote on changes to Germany's Basic Law on March 18, 2025 in Berlin, Germany. 

A landmark reform of the constitutional debt brake unlocks significant new spending, but this fiscal boost will be dampened by persistent administrative bottlenecks and a political reluctance to seriously tackle broader structural reform.

Defense Spending Will Modestly Boost the German Economy, but Challenges Remain

Snapshots

Carles Puigdemont, leader of Catalonia's pro-independence Junts party, delivers a speech in southwestern France on July 27, 2024, during a meeting held to celebrate the fourth anniversary of the party's founding. 

The end of a political pact between the ruling Socialists and Catalonia's Junts party will make it even harder for Prime Minister Sanchez to govern and pass laws, which could open the door to an early election.

Spain's Political Problems Worsen as Government Loses Catalan Support

On Geopolitics

European Council President Antonio Costa and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrive for a meeting of the European Council on Oct. 23. The EU pursuit of geopolitical independence is being severely tested by Russia's direct security aggression, China's control over critical raw materials and competing economic pressures from the United States.

The EU pursuit of geopolitical independence is being severely tested by Russia's direct security aggression, China's control over critical raw materials and competing economic pressures from the United States.

Europe's Dual Challenge From China and Russia

Cameroon

Cote d'Ivoire

Argentina

South Korea

Supporters of Argentine President Javier Milei's Liberty Advances (LLA) party wave flags during a campaign rally in Rosario, Argentina, on Oct. 23, 2025.

The Weekly Rundown: Argentina Holds Midterm Elections, Trump Travels to Asia

U.S.-China Relations

Taiwan

Taiwanese legislator and founder of the civil defense organization Kuma Academy, Puma Shen, spoke on Nov. 13 in Berlin at the Bundestag, Germany's parliament, to a hearing of the Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid about the threats to Western democracies from China's offline and online disinformation campaigns, Focus Taiwan reported. 


Taiwan: Taiwan's Third Europe Speaking Event Imperils EU-China Trade Talks, But Drills Unlikely

The European Union plans to present the United States with an implementation action plan for the next phase of the tariff agreement reached in August, Bloomberg reported on Nov. 13.

EU, U.S.: Brussels To Present Implementation Plan for Next Phase of U.S. Tariff Deal

Energy

Environment, Science & Technology

The European Parliament voted on Nov. 13 to scale back the European Union's sustainability reporting and due diligence framework, including major cuts to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), a press release by the European Parliament shows.

EU: European Parliament Votes in Favor of Scaling Back Supply Chain Sustainability Regulations

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Middle East and North Africa

Asia-Pacific

Eurasia

South Asia

The International Energy Agency stated in its World Energy Outlook, published Nov. 12, that oil demand would not peak by 2050 unless current energy transition policies globally became more ambitious.

Global: IEA's 2025 World Energy Outlook Published With New Current Policies Scenario

EU member states and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement to simplify the Common Agricultural Policy, easing environmental requirements and administrative procedures to support farmers, the European Council announced on Nov. 10.

EU: Bloc To Weaken Green Rules in Agricultural Subsidy Overhaul

EU member states delayed approving a mandate to launch new negotiations with the United Kingdom on linking the two markets' emissions trading systems and advancing a separate agri-food agreement due to disagreements over eventual British financial contributions to the EU budget, Politico reported on Nov. 7. 

EU, U.K.: Bloc Delays U.K. Talks on Emissions Trading and Agri-Food Deals

The European Commission is proposing a delay in the enforcement of some aspects of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act in an upcoming simplification package on Nov. 19, the Financial Times reported on Nov. 6. 

EU: European Commission Proposes Pause to Aspects of AI Act

The CEO of German car parts supplier AUMOVIO said shipments of chips from Dutch-headquartered semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia's China unit have resumed and that the company received an exemption from Chinese export controls, the Financial Times reported on Nov. 7.

EU, China: Nexperia Chip Exports Pave Way for Netherlands To Relinquish Control of Dutch Chipmaker

Europe

SITUATION REPORTS

Taiwan: Taiwan's Third Europe Speaking Event Imperils EU-China Trade Talks, But Drills Unlikely

EU, U.S.: Brussels To Present Implementation Plan for Next Phase of U.S. Tariff Deal

EU: European Parliament Votes in Favor of Scaling Back Supply Chain Sustainability Regulations

Global: IEA's 2025 World Energy Outlook Published With New Current Policies Scenario

EU: Bloc To Weaken Green Rules in Agricultural Subsidy Overhaul

EU, U.K.: Bloc Delays U.K. Talks on Emissions Trading and Agri-Food Deals

EU: European Commission Proposes Pause to Aspects of AI Act

EU, China: Nexperia Chip Exports Pave Way for Netherlands To Relinquish Control of Dutch Chipmaker

Forecasts

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