The European Union enters late 2026 with a fragmented political landscape: far-right parties lead polls in France (Marine Le Pen ahead for 2027) and Germany (AfD at 26%), while Poland faces a constitutional crisis as President Nawrocki clashes with the Constitutional Tribunal over judicial appointments. Economically, growth remains modest at 0.5% in Q3 2026 (Eurostat), but inflation rose to 4.0% in October 2026 (Eurostat) driven by energy costs at 20.8%, and unemployment held at 6.2% (Sep 2026, Eurostat).
