Six months after having won the parliamentary elections but having failed to form a majority coalition, outgoing Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (PSOE), has asked his fellow countrymen to grant a clear majority in the upcoming elections on 10th November. The election will be taking place in a tense context, with many violent demonstrations in Catalonia after the conviction of the secessionist leaders. But abstention rates are due to be high since voters are becoming increasingly difficult to motivate as the elections succeed one another and prove unable to provide Spain with a government.

Contrary to popular discourse, Jean-Dominique Giuliani shows that the European Union has the means to address the new challenges of the 21st century. Europe has succeeded beyond the expectations of its founding fathers. It can still succeed in guaranteeing its place among the three greatest powers in the world by the end of the century.

Meeting on 17th and 18th October the heads of State and government approved the draft agreement on Brexit concluded with the British government. They reviewed the preparation of the multi-annual financial framework 2021-2027 and the implementation of the Union's Strategic Programme. They discussed the climate strategy that they want to finalise during the European Council in December. They decided to delay the discussion regarding the launch of membership negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia at the next EU-Western Balkans Summit in May 2020. They condemned the Turkish military intervention in Syria as well as the Turkish drilling off the coast of Cyprus.

On 16th October the Commission published an intermediary report on migration. It deems that since the migration crisis in 2015 the Union is better equipped to provide operational and financial support to the Member States under pressure, to manage its borders and to cooperate with third countries, but more effort is required for an effective, resilient long term policy.

On 15th October the Council approved new clearning house rules (or central counterparties), bodies which serve as intermediaries and provide guarantees for transactions on securities and derivated instruments. The new framework defines the way the Union's clearing houses and third countries should be monitored in the future given the impact of Brexit on the Europan financial system. The reform focuses in particular on three establishments in the UK, which will become central counterparties of third countries after Brexit.

The European Court of Auditors validated the accounts of the 41 EU agencies for 2018. In its annual report published on 15th October, it deemed them reliable but recommended that measures be taken to improve financial management, particularly in the area of public procurement.

Christine Lagarde was formally appointed President of the European Central Bank on 18th October by the European Council. It was the last stage in the procedure after her appointment by the European Council in July and the approval of the Council of Governors of the ECB and the European Parliament. She will enter office on 1st November for an 8 year renewable mandate.

Start of work by the European Labour Authority The European Labour Authority, whose creation was formally approved in June, started work on 16th October in Brussels, ahead of its establishment in Bratislava. Its goal is to facilitate citizens' and business' access to information and services regarding their rights and obligations, to facilitate cooperation between Member States, notably in the fight to counter undeclared work, and the quest for solutions in the event of disputes between Member States.

On 15th October German Chancellor Angela Merkel hosted the Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg in Berlin, with the latter travelling to the Frankfurt Book Fair, of which Norway was the guest of honour. During their meeting, the two leaders notably discussed the situation in Syria.

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and around 20 ministers from the two countries held a joint Council of Ministers on 16th October in Toulouse. France and German signed a legally binding agreement on the rules governing arms exports for jointly developed programmes and approved "a European preference" for the launch of satellites. They supported the establishment of a minimum price on carbon at European level and the project for carbon tax on the borders. The President elected of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, joined them to prepare the European Counciol on 17th and 18th October.

On 15th October Romanian President Klaus Iohannis asked the leader of the Liberals (PNL) Ludovic Orban to form a new government following the collapse of the government led by Viorica Dancila (PSD). Former Minister for Transport, Mr Orban now has 10 days to form a government and to win the confidence of parliament.

On 19th October after having been forced by the House of Commons, the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson asked for the postponement of the UK's withdrawal from the EU. The adoption of an amendment delaying the vote on the withdrawal agreement concluded with the Union triggered the request for a delay, provided for by the Benn Act approved in September. In a letter to the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, Boris Johnson did however express his opposition to an extension.

The Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Zoran Zaev announced on 20th October the organisation of a snap election, after the EU's refusal to open membership negotiations, a project that formed the focus of his policy. "We have reached a consensus for elections on 12th April 2020," declared Mr Zaev.

The Democratic Union of the Centre (UDC) won the general elections in Switzerland on 20th October with 25.6% of the vote against 29.4% in 2015. It came out ahead of the Socialist Party (16.6%), and the Liberal-Radical Party (15.3%) both also down in terms of votes. The Greens won 13.2% of the vote (+6 points) and the Liberal Green Party (7.8% - +3.3 points). The Democratic Christian Party (PDC) has remained stable at 11.8%. The result is not due to modify the balance of power within the Federal Council, the Confederation's executive.

On 18th October the USA imposed 7.5 billion $ in additional customes duties on several types of merchandise from the countries of the EU. These customs tariffs entered into force after the WTO allowed it, due to public subsidies granted to Airbus which were deemed illegal. The European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström said that the EU had no other choice but to retaliate when the WTO sanctions the USA for its subsidies granted to Boeing.

On 15th October the IMF published its most recent economic outlook. It reviewed the decline in world growth levels forecast for 2019 at 3% and 3.4% for 2020. The downturn in growth has been limited thanks to preventive measures taken by the central banks, which have compensated international trade tensions (notably between the US and China). Hence growth in developed countries is due to slow to 1.7% in 2019 and 2020, whilst in the emerging and developing countries it is due to accelerate by 3.9% in 2019 and 4.6% in 2020. The IMF reviewed the growth forecasts downwards in the euro zone in 2019 and 2020, due to the situation in Germany, much affected by trade tensions.

The public deficit and debt decreased in relative terms in 2018 in comparison with 2017, both in the European Union and the euro zone according to a Eurostat publication on 21st October. In the euro area the government deficit to GDP ratio fell from 0.9% in 2017 to 0.5% in 2018, and in the EU28 from 1.0% to 0.7%. In the euro area the government debt to GDP ratio declined from 87.8% at the end of 2017 to 85.9% at the end of 2018, and in the EU28 from 82.1% to 80.4%.

In its gender equality index 2019 published on 15th October the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) notes that progress towards effective equality between men and women is "very slow" particuarly regarding women's access to positions of power. The Union's gender equality index has only increased by one point since the 2017 version, to 67.4. Sweden is still in the lead, with 83.6 points, followed by Denmark with 77.5 points. Greece and Hungary lag behind the most with fewer than 52 points each. Portugal has improved the most by +3.9 points, followed closely by Estonia with 3.1 points.

On the occasion of the centenary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci the Louvre Museum is running an exceptional exhibition of pictures and sculptures by the artist from 24th October to 24th February 2020.