Presidential Way

French columnist and television commentator Natacha Polony is reported to be considering a run in the French presidential election. Paris Match frames her potential candidacy as a remake of Éric Zemmour's 2022 adventure, with the political debate circling whether the commentator can convert media notoriety into an electoral movement the way Zemmour briefly did.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine will hold presidential elections if Russia agrees to a 60-day ceasefire. The statement links the timing of a possible vote to progress on ending the fighting, amid ongoing debate inside and outside Ukraine about whether wartime elections are feasible and how a ceasefire could open the way to the ballot.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear says the upcoming midterm elections will factor into his decision on whether to launch a run for the presidency. Speaking with NPR, Beshear framed the results as a way to gauge the political landscape before committing to a national campaign. His name has circulated among Democrats as a potential 2028 contender.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has postponed the long-delayed Palestinian elections, scheduling a presidential vote for September 2027, according to InfoMoney. Elections originally planned for 2021 have been repeatedly delayed, and critics view the postponement as a way for the 89-year-old leader to stay in power. Palestinians and international observers continue to call for a democratic vote.

The US Supreme Court has cleared the way for the Trump administration to implement portions of the president's executive order on mail-in voting. The order had targeted changes to how absentee ballots are handled, and the court's decision allows parts of it to take effect while related litigation continues. Election-law advocates and voting-rights groups are expected to challenge the measures, and the ruling is already fuelling debate over presidential power over election administration ahead of upcoming contests.

Michael Mronz, a candidate for the presidency of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), has said that being elected to the role could help Munich's chances of hosting the Olympic Games. His comments link the leadership contest at Germany's top sports body with the city's ambitions to stage a future Games.

President Trump is traveling to Alaska to campaign ahead of the state's Senate contest, a trip being read as a signal that Republicans view the race as far closer than expected. A sitting president making the long journey to a usually safe Republican state has drawn attention to the possibility that the contest could be genuinely competitive.

The Washington Post published an analysis arguing that the classic 'October Surprise' — a late-breaking event that upends a US presidential campaign — has lost its force. The piece suggests that in today's polarised, news-saturated environment, last-minute revelations no longer shift voters the way they once did, as electorates are already entrenched in their views.