Following another major defeat in state elections, Angela Merkel announced she will be stepping down as leader of the Christian Democratic Union.

Italy’s ruling coalition is struggling to transform electoral fantasy into a reality.

European Commission head Guenther Oettinger has signaled an intention to reject the Italian budget, triggering an inevitable showdown between Rome and Brussels.

Anything is possible when Belarus’ long-serving president steps aside, including a repeat of the Ukraine crisis.

Iran nuclear deal stakeholders are scrambling to evade or circumvent looming US sanctions, but there’s one major hurdle they must clear: the US financial system.

The Italian government is going all-in against Brussels, and this is a fight it believes it can win.

One of the enduring legacies of the Trump presidency might be how allies and enemies alike came together to dismantle the US monopoly on global financial transactions.

It's not Moscow, but the new government in Rome that might be turning off the TAP and dooming the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline project.

Italy’s coalition conflict is over, but Rome’s external conflict with bond markets and the EU is only just beginning.

Early indications suggest that the austerity of Finance Minister Giovanni Tria has been eclipsed by spending initiatives from Italy’s anti-establishment coalition parties, sending yield rates for 10-year Italian bonds back toward 3%.