Welcome to The Instability Index, your deep dive into the political turbulence across Europe on November 10, 2025, where institutional failures and domestic rebellions define the start of the week.

London is reeling from a massive institutional crisis, marked by the double resignations of BBC Director General Tim Davie and BBC News CEO Deborah Turness, an outcome that opened a "political hornet's nest" and left existential questions hanging over the state broadcaster's future. Their departures followed days of pressure and accusations of bias stemming from a scathing leaked memo about the corporation's output, an event referred to as the "Panorama debacle".

Meanwhile, in Brussels, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (VDL) is attempting a political "climbdown" to defuse a major spat over the long-term EU budget (MFF). VDL is offering compromise proposals to the European Parliament, which MEPs are using to gain leverage, leveraging the fact that VDL's own majority has become increasingly "fragil" (fragile).

The political stakes are equally high in Paris and Berlin, where high-profile legal and legislative battles are underway. Today, all eyes are on the correctional appeals chamber in Paris, which is examining former President Nicolas Sarkozy's request for release from prison, having been condemned on September 25 to five years for association of malefactors in the Libyan affair.

Domestically in France, an exclusive poll on the upcoming municipal elections in Marseille has caused significant commotion, placing the National Rally (RN) candidate, Franck Allisio, at "equality" with the sitting mayor, Benoît Payan, in the first round. In Germany, Kanzler Merz faces a crucial week of reforms, including the Wehrdienst (defense mandate) and the Rente (pension) package.

Merz must navigate a tense situation where 18 members of the Young Group—dubbed the "Renten-Rebellen" (pension rebels)—have declared the current pension reform plans unacceptable, threatening the coalition's majority for the cabinet-approved reform. This clash sets the stage for a potential public confrontation between the Kanzler and the Young Union later this week.