The Christian-Social Party (PCS/CSV), led by Marc Spautz came out ahead in the general elections on 14th October in Luxembourg with 28.31% of the vote and 21 seats. It pulled ahead of the Socialist Workers' Party (POSL/LSAP), member of the outgoing government coalition and chaired by Claude Haagen, with 17.6% and 10 seats. The Democratic Party (PD/DP) of outgoing Prime Minister Xavier Bettel won 16.91% and 12 seats (-1), the Greens/Dei Greng (PD-DG), member of the outgoing coalition, 15.12% and 9 seats (+3). The Alternative Democratic Reformist Party (ADR) won 8.28% and 4 seats (+1), the Left/Dei Lenk (LG/DL) 5.48% and 2 seats (=). Finally, the Pirate Party (PPLU) will be making its entry into parliament with 6.45% and 2 seats. Everything now depends on knowing who will form the government: will the CSC return to office and with which partners or will the outgoing coalition make it and get back into power?

On 17th October the Primoli Foundation in Rome is organising a meeting with the chairman of the Robert Schuman Foundation, Jean-Dominique Giuliani on the theme of the European crisis. The Primoli Foundation aims to promote cultural relations between Italy and France.

On 9th October the Commission put forward total allowable catches (TAC) for the period 2019-2020 regarding deep-water fish to gradually rebuild stocks to sustainable levels in the North Atlantic. It wants total allowable catches to be raised or abolished regarding certain species in line with the opinion of the scientific community.

The European Parliament's Committee for Civil Liberties asked on 10th October for a "complete and independent" audit of Facebook by the EU regarding data protection. MEPs stressed the progress made since the "Cambridge Analytica" scandal but regret that Facebook had not yet made the internal audit it had promised. They also put forward resolutions to prevent digital electoral interference and to enable the transparency of advertising algorithms on the social networks. These resolutions will be voted on at the next plenary session on 22nd-25th October.

The 28 Environment Ministers suggested a 35% reduction of CO2 emissions on new cars by 2030. They agreed that low emission cars should represent 35% of the new car market by 2030. Ministers agreed on the EU's position for the COP24 which will take place in Poland in December, ie. maintaining the 20% reduction goal on greenhouse gases by 2030.

On 15th October the European Foreign Affairs Ministers adopted a new sanctions regime against the use and proliferation of chemical weapons. They extended the EUAM Iraq mandate for civilian security until April 2020. They discussed the situation in Central African Republic, Venezuela and Libya insisting on the importance of a transparent, democratic political process.

On 8th October the Union's Court of Justice announced the appointment of four new judges and two Advocates General, as well as the renewal of eight judges and one Advocate General. The ECJ comprises 28 judges, one per Member State and eight Advocate Generals appointed by a consensus between the Member States.

On a state visit to Greece on 11th October, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier spoke with Greek President Prokopios Pavlopoulos and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. The leaders welcomed the "new start" to Greco-German relations, acknowledging the work undertaken by Greece to emerge from eight years of crisis. They also shared their concern about the future of Europe calling for a revival of European integration in the face of rising populism and euroscepticism.

The Spanish minority government reached an agreement of principle on 11th October with its main ally, Podemos, regarding a 2019 anti-austerity budget. The budgetary agreement provides for 22.3% increase in the monthly minimum wage, bringing it up to 900€, ie 164€ more per month. This measure will cost the State 340 million €. The agreement will be presented to Brussels newt week but to be adopted in Parliament the budget will also require the approval of some other parties.

A G6 meeting bringing together the Ministers of the Interior of the EU's biggest countries (France, Germany, UK, Spain, Italy, Poland) took place in Lyon on 8th and 9th October on the theme of "Migratory Issues/Security and the fight to counter terrorism". They attended a simulation of a terrorist attack at the stadium of the Olympique Lyonnais football team.

The Irish government presented its draft budget for 2019, the "first balanced budget since 2007", said Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe. The draft provides the financing of several measures to protect Ireland from any possible negative effects of Brexit, including the creation of a 1.5 billion € fund for infrastructures and customs, SMEs and the Peace Programme that fosters economic and social progress around the border with Northern Ireland. The fund will be provided with 500 million additional euro per year as of 2019.

On 11th October the Italian Parliament approved the 2018 finance bill put forward by the government which also includes the extremely controversial 2019 budgetary goals. The text was validated by the Senate, 165 votes in support, 107 against and 5 abstentions, before being adopted by the house of deputies, 331 votes in support, 191 against. This draft budget that was amended last week and that is yet to be communicated to Brussels now provides for a deficit of 2.4% in 2019. It is planned to lie at 2.1% in 2020 and 1.8% in 2021.

The Portuguese Prime Minister reshuffled his government on 14th October after the resignation of the Defence Minister, José Azeredo Lopes and the finalisation of the 2019 budget, making changes to four Ministries. Pedro Siza Vieira is now Economy Minister, Joao Gomes Cravinho, presently the EU's Ambassador to Brazil, will be come Defence Minister, Grace Maria da Fonseca, Minister of Culture, and Marta Temido, Healthcare Minister.

As the European Council approaches on 17th and 18th October, the EU's negotiator-in- chief for Brexit, Michel Barnier, and the British Minister responsible for Brexit, Dominique Raab, who met in Brussels on 14th October confirmed their disagreement over the "backstop" regarding the question of the Northern Irish border. After this stumbling block, negotiations with the UK will resume again during the European Council on 17th October.

During his first visit abroad Slovenian Prime Minister Marjan Sarec met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on 12th October. The two leaders discussed topical European issues and the Western Balkans. The Prime Minister declared that Slovenia would continue to work for a stable, connected, unified European Union and stressed the importance of the respect of the rule of law and the decisions of the arbitration courts.

In its report, the "World Economic Outlook" published on 9th October, the International Monetary Fund revised its world growth forecasts downwards in 2018 and 2019, from 3.9% to 3.7%. Although these rates are over those recorded in 2012 and 2016, the IMF is calling for caution and is advising governments to increase the resilience of their economies and to introduce reforms that encourage growth. The IMF is forecasting a decline in growth in the euro zone at 2% in 2018 and 1.9% in 2019.

The 6th Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize awarded by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and which pays tribute to exceptional work achieved by civil society in the defence of human rights - has been awarded to the head of the Grozny office of the Memorial Human Rights Centre of Chechnya, Oyub Titiev. The prize was given to him on 8th October, during a special ceremony at the Palace of Europe in Strasbourg, the day of the opening of PACE's autumn plenary session.

To limit global warming to 1.5°C we must rapidly and radically modify all aspects of society declared the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on 8th October as part of a new assessment. Apart from the evident advantages for populations and natural ecosystems the fact of limiting warming to 1.5°C and not 2°C would also help society to be more sustainable and fairer said the IPCC.

A first exhibition in France since 1953 devoted to the wealth, inventiveness and the proliferous nature of Cubism between 1907 and 1917 will be open in Paris from 17th October 2018 to 25th February 2019.