AUTUMN IS HERE: WHAT TO WATCH IN WORLD POLITICS
Region: Global
Author: Laszlo Enyedi • September 3, 2026
Autumn has arrived, and with it begins one of the busiest periods of the political year. Governments return from the summer break, parliaments resume their work, diplomatic meetings multiply, and unresolved crises once again demand immediate attention.
THE WAR IN UKRAINE AND THE APPROACH OF WINTER
The war in Ukraine remains one of the most important factors shaping European politics. Autumn is especially significant because both Russia and Ukraine will attempt to strengthen their positions before winter complicates military operations.
THE AMERICAN MIDTERM ELECTIONS
The United States will hold its midterm elections on 3 November. Control of the House of Representatives and a significant number of Senate seats will be decided, making the election an important test of President Donald Trump’s second term.
EUROPE’S POLITICAL MOOD
A series of European elections will also provide evidence about the direction of the continent. Sweden votes in September, while Latvia and Bosnia and Herzegovina hold elections in October. Regional elections elsewhere will offer further indications of the strength of populist and anti-establishment movements.
DIPLOMACY RETURNS TO THE STAGE
The annual high-level debate of the United Nations General Assembly will take place in New York from 22 to 28 September. It will bring many of the world’s leaders together, creating opportunities for formal speeches as well as private negotiations. The meeting is unlikely to resolve the world’s major conflicts. Nevertheless, it may reveal whether diplomatic positions are changing.
CHINA AND TAIWAN
China’s pressure on Taiwan will remain another major area to watch. Taiwan is increasing its defence expenditure and investing heavily in missiles, drones and coastal protection in response to Beijing’s growing military activity.
THE WORLD ECONOMY
The common thread linking these developments is the global economy.
War influences energy prices. Energy prices affect inflation. Inflation shapes elections, and election results determine how governments respond to wars, trade disputes and climate policy. What may appear to be separate events are, in reality, parts of the same international system.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The events of this autumn will influence far more than diplomatic relations. They could determine energy and food prices, defence spending, interest rates, investment decisions and the political stability of governments across the world. To understand any one of these developments, it will be necessary to watch how it interacts with all the others.