MNI POLITICAL RISK ANALYSIS – Week Ahead 25-31 Oct

Executive Summary

• United States: Congressional Democrats seeking to finally reach an agreement on President Joe Biden's two infrastructure packages, the smaller Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework and the larger Build Back Better Act. There remain notable disagreements between leftist and centrist Democrats in the Senate over the size of the Build Back Better package, with several deadlines having been missed in recent weeks. No set date for when a deal might be achieved, but Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has previously talked about the end of October as a key deadline for the legislation.
• European Union: European Union Military Committee meeting for EU Chiefs of Defence (CHODs) takes place. CHODs set to discuss the EU's 'Strategic Compass', while NATO representative set to talk through EU-NATO cooperation following last week's NATO defence ministers' summit. EU military cooperation becoming an area of greater political focus since the advent of the AUKUS alliance and French President Emmanuel Macron's push for greater European 'strategic autonomy'.
• NATO:NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg travels to Sweden and Finland for meetings with political leaders in both countries. Neither are NATO members, but instead are part of the 'Partnership for Peace' organisation alongside Russia.
• China: Foreign Minister Wang Yi travels to Qatar for meeting with Taliban officials. This will mark the first in-person meeting between a Chinese minister and representatives of the new Afghan Taliban regime.
• Republic of Ireland, New Zealand: Public holidays for October Bank holiday, Labour Day.

MNI POLITICAL RISK ANALYSIS – Week Ahead 25-31 Oct.pdf