European Update

• North Carolina updated its voting requirements since 2022 to mandate that voters present a photo ID at the polls. • The state legislature passed S.B. 747 over Governor Roy Cooper’s veto after the state Supreme Court reversed a previous block on the voter ID law in 2023.

• Black voters across the South are engaging in grassroots activism following a Supreme Court ruling on new voting maps. • One official described the decision as a win for race-neutral government action that prevents interest groups from using the Voting Rights Act for partisan goals.

• Arizona voters will cast ballots on November 3, 2026, for U.S. House representatives and statewide offices including governor, secretary of state, and attorney general. • Green Party candidate Risa Lombardo is running for governor on a platform to end the use of Flock cameras, which are automated license plate readers.

• EU defence ministers and members of the European Parliament will meet between September 28 and October 3, 2026, to discuss military support for Ukraine and the 2028-2034 Erasmus+ programme. • MEPs will debate and vote on the AGILE programme for rapid defence innovation, which is valued at €115 million.

• President Trump rejected Iran's latest proposal but expects further negotiations to occur during the week of September 27 to October 4, 2026. • Brazil is holding presidential elections and Switzerland is voting on stricter neutrality laws during this same period.

• European officials discussed the state of artificial intelligence investment during a Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs hearing in Brussels on September 28, 2026. • The EU is allocating €30 billion toward AI Gigafactories to develop advanced artificial intelligence infrastructure within the region.

• Ukraine reduced its budget deficit by $7 billion but still requires international assistance to cover its wartime spending. • Brussels is organizing a meeting of donor countries and financial institutions this Tuesday to address the remaining funding gap.

• Voters will participate in the 2026 United States midterm elections to determine the control of Congress and various state-level positions. • The elections will decide the leadership of 36 governorships and thousands of other state offices.

• The Meadhill Solar Farm in County Cork has begun generating power as the first facility to operate under the government's Small-Scale Renewable Electricity Support Scheme. • Developed by farmer Sean Keating and installed by PV Generation, the site features over 1,000 solar panels across 1.5 acres with a capacity of 650kW.

• Q ENERGY inaugurated a new solar farm in the Marne Department of France. • The facility has a total capacity of 11 MWp, which measures the maximum power output under standard test conditions.

• Four branches of the Nigerian Bar Association in Plateau State called for urgent government action to address worsening insecurity and attacks across the state. • The lawyers cited specific violence in several communities, including the killing of community vigilantes at Kikyau in Mangu Local Government Area during curfew hours.