Southern Europe in January 2026: the most important developments in politics
In Southern Europe in January 2026, the most closely followed event was Portugal's presidential election. No candidate won a majority in the first round on 18 January, so the race went to a runoff between the centre-left Socialist candidate and André Ventura, reported as the first time a candidate from Ventura's camp had reached a presidential runoff in Portugal.
Italy's Giorgia Meloni was at the centre of the month's diplomacy. European leaders criticised Donald Trump's remarks on Greenland and his proposed tariffs; Meloni called the tariffs a mistake, offered Italy as a mediator and said Italy could consider a NATO presence in Greenland. On the US president's Board of Peace for Gaza, she first signalled willingness to join, then said constitutional concerns were delaying a decision, and on 23 January said she had asked Trump to change its configuration. By 26 January Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Italy was not prepared to join, and Germany and Spain also declined. Meloni and Chancellor Friedrich Merz held a summit, and Italy and Germany signed a defence cooperation agreement.
On Russia and Ukraine, Meloni said Europe should talk to Moscow, and the Kremlin said it welcomed signals from Rome, Paris and Berlin. Defence Minister Guido Crosetto defended aid to Ukraine after two League lawmakers voted against the aid decree, and said Italy would not send troops. Italy withdrew non-essential staff from its embassy in Iran and urged the EU to list the Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organisation; Iran summoned the Italian ambassador, while France and Spain signalled support for the listing. Italy also upgraded relations with Venezuela as Italians held there were freed.
In Spain, Pedro Sánchez promised to find out the truth after a train crash in Catalonia. His omnibus decree failed after Junts voted against it, though the government secured an abstention to pass its budget, and the conservative PP took the Extremadura assembly presidency after Vox left the talks. Greece announced plans to extend its territorial waters in the Ionian Sea, and Turkey said its warnings on the Aegean stand indefinitely.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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