Country Reports

Assessment of the Knesset Election Results

One Winner, Many Losers

For months, Israelis had been talking about one thing above all else: Election Day. The fierce campaign revolved around political responsibility for the Hamas attack of October 7, the prospect of mandatory military service for the ultra-Orthodox, the war against Iran, and for some, even the future of Israeli democracy. Nearly 78 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots. The result is surprising.

America Before the Election: The Final Votes Will Decide

Millions of Americans have already voted, while Republicans and Democrats are vying for the remaining votes. With just a few days to go before the midterm elections, the race for a majority is focused on a manageable number of states and congressional districts. The Democrats are entering the final stretch with a more favorable outlook for the House of Representatives; in the Senate, several paths to a majority remain open. Donald Trump is a key figure for both parties. However, what will be decisive is how national sentiment, the candidates' personal profiles, and local mobilization translate into votes on November 3.

U.S. Midterms 2026: From Campaign Messages to the Ballot Box

Before the 2026 U.S. midterm elections, Republicans and Democrats are pursuing different paths to securing a majority. Republicans are campaigning on tax relief measures while warning voters about the consequences of their political opponents' policies. Democrats, meanwhile, are linking rising living costs to their call for stronger oversight and accountability in Washington. At the same time, allegations of corruption and conflicts of interest are becoming more prominent in several closely contested races. Both parties face the same challenge: reaching voters who often engage with politics only casually. As campaigning increasingly takes place through television advertisements, short-form videos, and AI-generated search results, election strategies are evolving as well.

Opposition as an Opportunity – Not Just for the PNL

Behind the Formation of Romania's New Government

Luca Niculescu is set to become Romania’s new Prime Minister with the support of, among others, the PSD, PNL, and UDMR. Following the vote, PNL will move into opposition, what seems as an opportunity both for the party itself and for Romania’s political system.

Historic Comeback in Brazil: Lula Elected President for a Fourth Term

Mobilization on the streets and social media turns the tide. But a chaotic election day, polarization and Brazil’s rightward shift remain.

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva turned the Brazilian presidential election around in a historic comeback, defeating Flávio Bolsonaro with 51.79 per cent of the vote. Key factors in his victory were the reorganisation of his campaign, widespread social mobilisation and his focus on defending democracy. Nevertheless, his victory does not mark a shift to the left: Brazil remains deeply polarised and Lula will have to govern with an even more conservative Congress.

Who Finances the Battle for Congress?

Campaign Finance and Political Priorities in the 2026 U.S. Midterm Elections

Just weeks before the 2026 midterm elections, hundreds of millions of dollars are flowing into the battle for control of Congress. Beyond candidates’ official campaign accounts, parties, super PACs, major donors, and interest groups are playing an increasingly influential role in shaping the political contest. The distribution of these funds provides valuable insight into which races are considered decisive for congressional majorities and which policy priorities attract the strongest financial support. At the same time, it highlights the complexity of the U.S. campaign finance system, where influence depends not only on the amount of money available but also on who controls its deployment. Examining campaign finance therefore adds an important dimension to the analysis of the 2026 congressional elections, complementing polling data and electoral projections.

17 October: France’s Outburst of Anger

Violence, the State, and the Election Campaign

The events of 17 October 2026 mark a turning point in France’s political debate just months ahead of the 2027 presidential election. While the protests were originally intended to draw attention to social and economic grievances, the riots and their consequences have since come to dominate the political discourse. At the centre of the debate are three closely interconnected issues: the causes of the violence and the actors responsible for it; the shortcomings in anticipation and crowd-control management that have been acknowledged by the government and security authorities themselves; and the political instrumentalisation of the events in the run-up to the presidential election. The discussion is therefore no longer focused solely on the responsibility of the perpetrators of violence, but increasingly also on the state's capacity to act and on the competing political interpretations of the crisis.

New Zealand Ahead of the 2026 Election

Political Fragmentation and Coalition Prospects

On 21 January 2026, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced New Zealand’s general election would be held on 7 November, after three years under the National Party-led government in coalition with the ACT New Zealand Party led by Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour, and the New Zealand First Party led by Foreign Minister Winston Peters.[i]

Eelections in Czech

The municipal and Senate elections in the Czech Republic on October 9 - 10 and 16 - 17, 2026: a success for the centrist parties

One year after the parliamentary election, the municipal and Senate elections served as the first statewide test of public sentiment for Prime Minister Andrej Babiš’s government. However, the prime minister’s party, ANO, was unable to replicate its success in the municipal and Senate elections. These elections were shaped less by foreign policy or social issues - which had dominated the parliamentary election - and more by individual candidates, local alliances, and local concerns, as well as by the concrete work of parties and politicians on the ground.

Where America Really Decides

The Political Geography of the 2026 U.S. Midterms

435 seats in the House of Representatives, 35 Senate elections, and numerous additional state and local contests will be on the ballot. Yet control of Congress on November 3 is likely to be decided in only a handful of states and congressional districts. The 2026 midterm elections will be shaped by national issues, but their effects will appear very differently across the American electoral map. While a small group of states will determine the balance of power in the Senate, competition in the House of Representatives will be concentrated in just a few dozen congressional districts. At the same time, the country's political geography continues to evolve: formerly Democratic-leaning industrial regions are voting more Republican, growing suburban areas are in some cases becoming more Democratic, and Donald Trump's much-discussed gains among Hispanic and previously disengaged voters in 2024 have not proven equally durable everywhere. Anyone seeking to understand who will control Congress in the years ahead must therefore look not only at how America votes, but above all at where it votes.