The year ahead looks bumpy for many governments across Europe.
Many administrations are unpopular already. Some are divided by internal squabbles. All are troubled by economic and other difficulties. Gloom for 2026 is compounded by cost-of-living rises, economic under-performance in 2025 and big foreign policy dilemmas.
Emanuel Macron is said by pollsters to have the lowest popularity rating of any French president since the Second World War. Germany’s far-right AfD party is now consistently riding high in polls especially in the old East Germany amid divisions and squabbling within the more traditional mainstream parties.
In the UK, the big Westminster question for next year is Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s leadership – or lack of it. Leadership upheavals in Downing Street were once spoken about in whispers.
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