Trade and Politics

Former deputy in the Congress of Deputies and the Parliament of Andalusia Ernesto Caballero Castillo, an influential antifranquista leader and historic figure of the PCE and Izquierda Unida in Córdoba, died at age 91.

Maciej Berek, previously elected to the Constitutional Tribunal by the Sejm, took his oath of office in the Sejm building before Marshal Wlodzimierz Czarzasty following a Venice Commission opinion, despite non-recognition from President Karol Nawrocki.

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office announced the appointment of Ms Ann Snow MBE as His Majesty's Ambassador to the Republic of Yemen in succession to Ms Abda Sharif OBE.

The Slovak government officially recalled Peter Molda from his post as Government Plenipotentiary for the Construction and Operation of the Gabčíkovo-Nagymaros Waterworks System.

Finnbjörn A. Hermannsson formally stepped down as President of the Icelandic Confederation of Labour (ASÍ) upon the opening of the 47th ASÍ Congress, concluding his term as he reached retirement age.

The Slovak government officially appointed Andrej Kasana, acting Director General of Vodohospodárska výstavba, as the new Government Plenipotentiary for the Construction and Operation of the Gabčíkovo-Nagymaros Waterworks System.

The LRT Council appointed legal scholar and Vytautas Magnus University professor Dr. Julija Kiršienė to the position of ethics controller of the public broadcaster.

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dismissed Andriy Kashuba from his position as Deputy Minister for Recovery, Infrastructure, and Transport of Ukraine.

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine appointed Anatoliy Timenko as the new Deputy Minister for Recovery, Infrastructure, and Transport of Ukraine.

The Cabinet of Ministers dismissed Herman Filatov as Deputy Head of the State Agency of Water Resources and appointed him State Secretary of the Ministry of Digital Transformation.

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted a resolution dismissing Yehor Perelyhin from his post as Deputy Minister of Economy and Environment.

The Croatian Government appointed directors of directorates in the Ministry of Culture and Media following internal calls and public competition: Nevena Tudor Perkovic for Culture and Arts, Anja Jelavic for International Cultural Cooperation and European Affairs, Anuska Deranja Crnokic for Archives, Libraries and Museums, and Nives Zvonaric for Media and Cultural and Creative Industries.

The Croatian Government appointed Marica Mikec as Secretary General of the Ministry of Culture and Media based on an internal job announcement.

The Croatian Government appointed Marina Stanicic as Director of the Directorate for Budget and Finance in the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure following an internal job competition.

The Croatian Government appointed Ante Mihaljevic as Chief Inspector of the Road Transport and Roads Safety Inspectorate in the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure.

The Croatian Government adopted a conclusion proposing to the Assembly of Zracna luka Zadar d.o.o. the appointment of Josip Klismanic as Management Board member and Director of the company for up to six months.

The Croatian Government dismissed Doria Tonkovic from the Governing Council of the Coastal Liner Services Agency and appointed Jelena Zovak as the new member representing the maritime affairs ministry.

The Government of the Republic of Slovenia formally acknowledged the resignation of Tea Košir as State Secretary at the Ministry of Health, effective October 15, 2026.

Dr. László Nagy announced his resignation as President of the Supervisory Authority for Regulated Activities (SZTFH), citing government restructuring plans that eliminate the authority's independent regulatory status.

István Láng announced his departure as Director-General of the General Directorate of Water Management (OVF) effective October 15, stepping down to support a strategic policy shift toward climate adaptation and water retention.

Following the resignation of István Láng, Technical Deputy Director-General József Gacsályi was named acting Director-General of the General Directorate of Water Management (OVF) pending a public tender.

Adriatik Kupi resigned from his post as the General Director of Prisons in Albania after seven months in office, citing institutional and security challenges.

The Albanian Council of Ministers officially appointed Sadleva Bodo as the new General Director of Prisons, making her the first woman to head the institution.

On the proposal of the Minister of Justice, the French Council of Ministers appointed Marie Fontanel as State Councillor in ordinary service (Conseillère d'État en service ordinaire) at the Conseil d'État.

The French Council of Ministers appointed magistrate Grégoire Dulin as director and Deputy Secretary-General at the Ministry of Justice, effective October 19, 2026.

On the proposal of the Minister of Transport, the French Council of Ministers appointed Alexis Vuillemin as Commissioner for Transport, Public Works, and Construction.

The Council of Ministers approved Royal Decree 841/2026 appointing María Concepción Peinado Reillo as the new Undersecretary of Labour and Social Economy.

President Karol Nawrocki conferred formal appointment acts to the members of the Chapter of the Order of Polonia Restituta for a new term, including Piotr Andrzejewski, Maria Gintowt-Jankowicz, Wieslaw Johann, Mieczyslaw Ryba and Krzysztof Szwagrzyk.

The Ministry of Culture and National Heritage constituted the Main Heritage Conservation Commission for the 2026-2031 term, appointing Dr Aleksander Broda as its chairman.

The Swedish Riksdag elected eleven regular members and eleven deputies to the General Council of the Riksbank (Riksbanksfullmäktige) for the 2026–2030 term.

Alexander Schweitzer received his official certificate of appointment as Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs from Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin following the resignation of Bärbel Bas.

Energy Minister Lukas Savickas appointed Mantas Bekešius as the fourth vice minister of energy, responsible for energy security, strategic infrastructure, and crisis preparedness.

Yevhen Hrushovets was officially appointed as a member of the Competition Commission responsible for selections for administrative posts in the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office.

Lithuanian Ambassador Aurelijus Zykas presented his letters of credence to President Hilda C. Heine of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

The Council of Ministers appointed Carabinieri Brigadier General Giuseppe Vadalà to lead urgent environmental remediation and site closure activities at strategic national priority areas, including Taranto.

Lega deputy Francesco Bruzzone was elected President of the Chamber of Deputies' XIII Agriculture Commission, succeeding Mirco Carloni.

The President of Romania decreed the transfer to the military reserve of Lieutenant General Ion George Spiridonescu from the Ministry of National Defence.

President Nicușor Dan signed the decree approving the release from office upon retirement of Judge Lavinia Curelea from the High Court of Cassation and Justice.

Kimberly Guilfoyle resigned from her post as United States Ambassador to Greece following White House requests and mounting scrutiny over allegations of ethical violations and financial impropriety.

Deputy Chief of Mission Josh Huck took charge of the United States Embassy in Athens as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim following the departure of Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle.

András Tótth resigned from his post as State Secretary for Energy at the Ministry of Economy and Energy, ending his term following five months in office.

Dr. Edit Juhász submitted her resignation as President of the Hungarian Energy and Public Utility Regulatory Authority (MEKH), terminating her mandate effective October 15, 2026.

The government announced the appointment of energy consultant Géza Losonczy as President of the Hungarian Energy and Public Utility Regulatory Authority (MEKH) for a seven-year mandate effective October 16.

On October 13, 2026, the Superior Council of Magistracy revoked the suspension of Judge Tatiana Avasiloaie and restored her to judicial office at the Chișinău Court following the closure of corruption proceedings.

Prominent jurist, dean emeritus of the León Bar Association, and father of former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Juan Rodríguez García-Lozano died in León at the age of 100.

Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs and SPD co-leader Bärbel Bas resigned from her ministerial office and party co-chairmanship citing personal bereavement and intense political pressure from coalition partners.

Minister of Justice Þorbjörg S. Gunnlaugsdóttir appointed Jarþrúður Ásmundsdóttir as the new chair of Jafnréttissjóður Íslands (the Gender Equality Fund of Iceland).

Matteo Salvini formally resigned as Federal Secretary of Lega as a required procedural step to run for re-election at the party's upcoming extraordinary federal congress in Milan.

Party treasurer and MP Alberto Di Rubba was appointed acting commissioner and vicar deputy secretary of Lega to oversee party operations during the transitional period leading up to the federal congress.

President Nicușor Dan signed the decree releasing prosecutor Liviu Vasilescu from office at the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) due to retirement.

Member of Parliament Boris Mijić officially tendered his written resignation to the National Assembly following party expulsion and public pressure.

President Karol Nawrocki reappointed General Wieslaw Kukula to a second three-year term as Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces, effective 10 October 2026.

Voters across the Czech Republic cast ballots in nationwide municipal elections to elect local and municipal council members, with STAN winning in Prague and ANO in several regional capitals.

The first round of elections for one-third of the Senate of the Czech Republic concluded across 27 constituencies, with five candidates winning seats outright by securing more than 50% of the vote.

Jan Grolich (KDU-ČSL) was elected to the Senate of the Czech Republic in the first round of voting in District 57 (Vyškov) after securing an absolute majority of votes.

Tomáš Fiala won an outright majority in the first round of the Senate elections in District 12 (Strakonice), securing his election to the Senate of the Czech Republic.

Incumbent Senator Jan Sobotka (STAN) won re-election to the Senate in the first round of voting in District 39 (Trutnov) after obtaining over 50% of the vote.

Zbyněk Linhart (STAN) won re-election to the Czech Senate in the first round of the 2026 elections, securing an absolute majority in District 33 (Děčín).

Jan Grulich (TOP 09) secured re-election to the Senate of the Czech Republic in the first round after winning over 50% of the vote in District 48 (Rychnov nad Kněžnou).

In the 2026 Prague municipal election, Mayors and Independents (STAN) led by Petr Hlaváček won the largest share of votes and 17 seats in the Prague City Assembly, followed closely by SPOLU pro Prahu with 17 seats.

The first round of the 2026 Czech Senate elections concluded across 27 constituencies, resulting in five candidates winning seats outright and 22 races advancing to second-round runoffs.

Municipal elections took place across the Czech Republic to elect municipal and local council representatives across thousands of local government bodies.

Liberal Democrat MP Charlie Maynard resigned from his frontbench post as Treasury spokesperson to challenge party leader Sir Ed Davey.

Tom Campbell, chief executive of E-ACT, was appointed chair of the governing board of Oak National Academy, succeeding Sir Ian Bauckham.

In the Council of State, Ann Christin Rognmo Olsen was appointed as a member of the Judicial Appointments Board (Innstillingsrådet for dommere) for the 2026–2030 term.

Ambassador Petr Kopřiva officially presented his Letter of Credence to the Secretary-General of ASEAN, formally beginning his mission as Czech Ambassador to the regional bloc.

President Gitanas Nausėda initiated the dismissal of judge Kazys Kažys for dishonouring the name of a judge following the final court verdict upholding his conviction in the Vijūnėlė mansion corruption case.

Gintarė Norvilaitė-Tautevičė, interim CEO and commercial director of state enterprise Lietuvos oro uostai, submitted her resignation, with the company's board approving her departure.

The Croatian Government relieved Furio Radin of his duties as member of the Council for National Minorities and appointed MP Marin Corva as the new member ex officio representing national minorities.

The Croatian Government proposed to the Supervisory Board of Hrvatske autoceste d.o.o. the appointment of Boris Huzjan as President of the Management Board for a period of up to six months.

The Croatian Government proposed to the Supervisory Board of JANAF d.d. the appointment of Stjepan Adanic as President of the Management Board and Ivan Barbaric as Management Board Member for up to six months.

The Croatian Government adopted a conclusion proposing to the Supervisory Board of HP - Hrvatska posta d.d. the appointment of Sinisa Sukunda as a member of the Management Board for up to six months.

The Croatian Government proposed to the Assembly of Zracna luka Zagreb d.o.o. the appointment of Ranko Ilic as Management Board member and Director of the company for up to six months.

Influential economist, writer, and former national spokesperson for the Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG) and founder of Anova, Xosé Manuel Beiras Torrado, died at age 90 in Brión.

Sagal Abdi-Wali was elected Member of Parliament for Holborn and St Pancras following a by-election triggered by the resignation of former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

The Central Electoral Commission (VRK) terminated the parliamentary mandate of Homeland Union MP and former interior minister Agnė Bilotaitė following her resignation, with Kęstutis Masiulis designated to replace her in the Seimas.

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine appointed Zoryana Stetsiuk to serve as the State Secretary of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dismissed Ivan Turchak from his office as State Secretary of the Ministry of Defense.

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine appointed Yehor Hryhorenko as Deputy Minister of Economy and Environment.

The resignation of László Bak, Vice President of the Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH), was officially promulgated in Magyar Közlöny following institutional dissent from council members and division leaders.

The Government of Montenegro reappointed Edin Jašarović as President of the Council of the Film Centre of Montenegro and appointed Irena Ivanović and David Todorović as new members.

The Government of Montenegro formally relieved Council members of the Film Centre of Montenegro of their duties, including Irena Tatar and the late Bogić Rakočević.

The Government of Montenegro appointed Maja Žunjić-Mitrović as a new member of the Council for Public Administration Reform.

The Government of Montenegro relieved Ivan Medojević and Milena Muk of their duties as members of the Council for Public Administration Reform.

The Government of Montenegro appointed Radmila Ćapin as a member of the Council of the Center for Conservation and Archaeology of Montenegro, replacing Zorica Stijepović.

The Government of Montenegro reappointed Ajla Dervišević as acting Director-General of the Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora in the Ministry of Diaspora.

The Government of Montenegro appointed Marija Glavatović as acting Director-General of the Directorate for the Implementation of EU Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) Projects.

By Royal Decree 821/2026, Jesús José Tirado Estrada was designated Chief Chamber Prosecutor of the Administrative Litigation section of the Supreme Court Prosecutor's Office.

Through Royal Decrees 819/2026 and 820/2026, María Teresa Vicente Calvo was promoted and named Chamber Prosecutor of the Juvenile Chamber of the State Prosecution Service.

Under Royal Decree 822/2026, María Dolores Rial de la Calle was appointed Teniente Fiscal (Deputy Chief Prosecutor) of the Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Community of the Balearic Islands.

Royal Decree 817/2026 formalized the removal and departure of Roberto Brezmes Caramanzana from his position as Chief Prosecutor of the Provincial Prosecutor's Office of Lugo.

The Marshal of the Sejm presented Dr hab. Jan Podkowik with his appointment as a member of the College of the Supreme Audit Office (NIK).

The Riksdag Committee on European Union Affairs elected Social Democrat Matilda Ernkrans as Chair and Moderate Party MP Erik Ottoson as Deputy Chair for the 2026–2030 parliamentary period.

Prosecutor Eglė Kirpienė assumed duties as the Chief Prosecutor of Marijampolė District Prosecutor's Office after previously serving in the Kaunas Regional Prosecutor's Office.

Under presidential Decree No. 355, Tatyana Tupik was reappointed as Chairwoman of the Minsk City Court for a new five-year term.

President Aleksandr Lukashenko signed Decree No. 355 appointing 20 new judges across regional, municipal, and district courts to replenish the national judicial corps.