The German federal elections confirm the decline of the two major traditional parties. The long and probably laborious negotiations that are about to begin will lead the country and Europe into a period of uncertainty and perhaps immobility, writes Jean-Dominique Giuliani. The penultimate editorial is also worth reading or re-reading.

The Social Democratic Party (SPD) came out ahead in the German elections on 26 September, with 25.7% of the vote and 206 seats in the Bundestag. It took a narrow lead over the Christian Democratic Union (CDU-CSU) which won 24.1% of the vote and 196 seats. The leaders of both parties, SPD Olaf Scholz and CDU Armin Laschet, claim to be able to lead the negotiations to form the next government coalition. The Greens, with 14.8% of the vote and 118 seats, and the Liberal Democratic Party (FDP), which obtained 11.5% of the vote and 92 seats, seem to be needed to form a government coalition.

On 26 September, Germans voted to elect their deputies and indirectly choose who will succeed Angela Merkel after 16 years in the Chancellery. To understand what is at stake in these decisive elections for Germany and the European Union, you can find in this dossier the Foundation's publications and the debates we are organising around this election, as well as our interventions in the media and resources on the programmes of the parties the running.

In a report published on 22 September, the Commission estimates that the SURE instrument, set up in spring 2020 with a budget of €100 billion, has helped to mitigate the socio-economic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2020, unemployment was avoided for 1.5 million people. Around 2.5 million businesses have benefited from this support, as well as around 31 million people, or more than a quarter of the total number of people in employment in the 19 beneficiary Member States.

The second citizens' panel organised in the framework of the Conference on the Future of Europe was held in Strasbourg from 24 to 26 September. The participants, selected to represent the whole population of the Union, discussed European democracy and values, the rule of law and security. Two further panels will take place from 1 to 3 October and from 15 to 17 October. Their recommendations will be debated by the Parliament in December. All Europeans can contribute to the debates on the conference platform.

On 22 and 23 September, the Transport and Energy Ministers met informally to discuss decarbonisation objectives. Among other things, they discussed the establishment of a comprehensive public network of recharging and supply infrastructure for alternative fuels. They agreed that the transition to e-mobility should be considered in a cross-sectoral approach, have sufficient geographical coverage, and be financed by public and private funds to ensure the continued competitiveness of the European transport sector and industry.

The European Union and the United States announced on 22 September the launch of a coordinated programme to improve vaccination rates in low-income countries. The programme includes sharing vaccine doses and coordinating logistics to ensure global supply. The Europeans and Americans also want to coordinate their investments to build local vaccine manufacturing capacity in Africa.

The Advocate General of the European Court of Justice ruled on 23 September that the software used by Volkswagen to limit the reduction of nitrogen oxide emissions from its diesel vehicles had the effect of distorting the results of emission tests. It concludes that the installation of such software is contrary to EU law. His conclusions are not binding for the Court, which will deliver its judgment later.

On 23 September, the European Court of Auditors published a report on the evaluation of European aid policies in the fight against corruption in Ukraine. It considers the results to be insufficient despite several EU initiatives and recommends the introduction of new measures, including reform of the justice system and the alignment of Ukrainian legislation with EU competition policy standards.

At the end of its first climate stress test exercise, the results of which were published on 22 September, the European Central Bank stressed the economic consequences of the lack of mobilisation of governments and companies in favour of the ecological transition. It estimates that inaction on this issue could lead to a 10% drop in the Union's GDP by 2100.

The Social Democratic Party (SPD) came first in the Berlin regional elections on 26 September with 21.4% of the vote, ahead of the Greens (18.9%) and the Christian Democratic Union (18.1%). The SPD list leader Franziska Giffey is expected to become the first female mayor of Berlin. The SPD also won the regional election in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, with 39.6% of the vote, and its head of list Manuela Schwesig is expected to be reappointed as Minister-President of the Land.

In a joint declaration published on 25 September, Spain, Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Malta call for a European migration policy based on a fair distribution of responsibilities between Member States, in particular with a "predictable and compulsory" relocation mechanism. They stress that effective and fair migration and asylum management must take into account the experience of countries "whose external border is most exposed".

On 22 September, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with his US counterpart Joe Biden about the 15 September announcement of a strategic partnership between the US and Australia at the expense of an existing partnership between France and Australia. The two Presidents pledged to restore trust between their two countries with the opening of in-depth consultations in the near future. They will meet at the end of October in Europe. The United States also pledged to support France's military effort in the Sahel and declared itself in favour of a European defence system complementary to NATO. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian met his US counterpart, Anthony Blinken, in New York on 23 September, and said that a way out of the crisis between the two countries would take time and would require action.

The Albanian government resulting from the 25 April elections took office on 18 September, the day after its investiture by the Parliament. Headed by the socialist Edi Rama, Prime Minister since 2013, the government includes 12 women out of 16 ministers.

The Independence Movement (Conservative) came first in the 25 September parliamentary elections, with 24.4% of the vote and 16 of the 63 seats in parliament. It leads the Progressive Party (17.3% and 13 seats). The Green and Left Movement of the outgoing Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir came third with 12.6% and 8 seats. The 3 parties, which formed the outgoing government coalition, retain a majority of seats. 30 members of parliament, or 47.6%, are women. This is the highest proportion of women MPs in Europe.

The European Court of Human Rights ruled on 21 September that Russia was responsible for the murder of former Russian spy Aleksandr Litvinenko in the UK in 2006. The Court ordered Russia to pay €100,000 to Litvinenko's widow for non-pecuniary damage.

At a high-level discussion on energy on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on 24 September called for international cooperation to achieve an inclusive and sustainable energy transition in the next ten years. At the UN meetings between international leaders, discussions focused on the pandemic, access to vaccines, climate and multilateralism.

On 24 September, the OECD published a new report in which it takes stock of artificial intelligence (AI) in finance. The report notes the rise of AI and highlights the benefits of such technology (easier transactions, greater financial integration) but also the risks it poses to personal data security.

According to a Eurobarometer survey published on 23 September, Europeans show a strong interest in science and technology. 54% of EU citizens want to learn more about these subjects. Nine out of 10 believe that science and technology can improve our way of life, especially in the areas of solar energy (92%), vaccines and the fight against infectious diseases (86%), and artificial intelligence (61%).

Until 22 February 2022 and for the first time ever outside of Russia, the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris is exhibiting the collection of the brothers Mikhail and Ivan Morozov. It features 200 works by the greatest modern artists, including Matisse, Cézanne, Bonnard, Picasso, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Degas, Monet, Renoir, and Vroubel, Malevitch, Répine, Larionov and Serov.

The National Museum of the House of Bonaparte in Ajaccio is presenting the exhibition "The Bonapartes and Antiquity, an imperial language" until 9 January 2022. Based on the collection of the Municipal Library of Ajaccio, created by Cardinal Fesch and Lucien Bonaparte, the exhibition highlights the symbolic, cultural and political issues behind the Bonapartes' permanent reference to Antiquity.