Europe

Constitutional Court has annulled the country's presidential elections, including the first round and the runoff initially scheduled for today between candidates Călin Georgescu and Elena Lasconi; it is a first-ever in a stable democracy

The Central Union of Municipalities of Greece has declared its 'absolute and complete opposition' to a draft law providing for the mandatory merger of local water and sewerage services, arguing that this project undermines governance and local autonomy

The Swedish People's Party in Espoo announced the formation of a multicultural committee with the aim of involving immigrants and non-native Finnish or Swedish speakers in local and national politics

Emissions from domestic transport, buildings, agriculture, small industry and waste in Malta have increased by more than 30% since 2005, the highest increase in the EU, according to data Data

Total foreign trade amounted to €3,88 billion in January-October 2024, or +3,1% compared to the same period last year; Serbia emerged Montenegro's most significant trading partner, according to preliminary data from Monstat

First physical and commercially usable quantum computer was inaugurated at Uptown Basel competence centre in Arlesheim; it will be available to companies, academic institutions and start-ups in areas such as simulation, optimisation and machine learning

National laws may be compliant with international standards but weak oversight, corruption and cash economies hamper an effective battle against money-laundering, says new report on illicit finance in the Western Balkans

The Austrian statistical office reported that the country's GDP contracted for the sixth consecutive quarter in the July-September period, continuing the recessive trend that began in Q2 2023

Banks and their branches in Latvia will have to pay a solidarity contribution - 60% of excess profits - over the next three years after a new law on bank super-profits will be introduced next year

A pilot project for the deployment of additional police officers on the streets of Luxembourg's two largest cities will soon be extended to Differdange

The new cabinet will be formed without the Ministers of the Environment and Justice after Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda signed a decree approving the move

French government fell in historic no-confidence vote uniting far-left and far-right as Marine Le Pen’s party backed a motion proposed by the hard left short after the formation of a minority government; President Macron said he will end his term

Journalist Anatoly Kurmanaev wrote in NYT on 2 December that while the Russian economy is experiencing a slowdown, “the economic strains are still far from provoking the kind of crisis that might compel Mr. Putin to curtail his ambitions in Ukraine.”