Next Sunday will be a fundamental day for the future of Germany, and also of Europe. AfD will win, barring a surprise, the regional elections in Saxony-Anhalt and has a chance of obtaining an absolute majority, which would allow it to avoid the cordon sanitaire imposed by the rest of the parties. This formation is anti-European, pro-Russian and xenophobic and, if it manages to govern, it would become the first far-right party at the head of a German state since the Second World War.
Saxony-Anhalt is the land where Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of Wittenberg Castle Church. Today it has the oldest population in the country and the lowest per capita income in Germany. However, its economic reality is not so far from that of other regions where, by the way, the AfD also triumphs. The reason for its success also has to do with the widespread belief that once prosperous regions have been abandoned by elites focused exclusively on cities. If he consummates his victory, it would be a catastrophe for Germany, and a serious warning for Europe.
Uber dispenses with average charges to invest in robotaxis
Uber is in the midst of restructuring. The company is going to let go of 10% of its global workforce, especially intermediate positions that, it explains, no longer fit its current scale. There are two big reasons behind it. The main one is to free up resources to invest in robotaxis, a business in which he fears being left behind in the face of the strong advance of Waymo and Tesla. The other, although the company has not directly referred to it, is AI, whose impact on employment is minimal or non-existent in many sectors, but is beginning to leave its mark on technology. The Layoffs.fyi website counts more than 120,000 layoffs in this sector so far in 2026.
Lottomatica bets on synergies in the face of market distrust
The absorption of Cirsa by the Italian Lottomatica will mean the creation of one of the largest giants in the gaming sector in the world, and will allow the new company to face growing competition, specifically in prediction markets. Lottomatica shareholders reacted with distrust to a marriage between two relatively different companies: the Italian one is focused on online, and the Spanish one with more presence in physical casinos. Lottomatica's commitment is to incorporate its own technology into the activities of Cirsa, which continues to depend on third parties.
The context is still difficult for cross-border mergers, but, as it is a non-strategic sector, it is more likely that competition regulators will approve it.
The phrase of the day
Being a member of the management board only makes sense if, first, there is a relationship of trust between the supervisory board and the management board and, second, there is agreement on the strategy. If not, you have to accept the consequences.
Bettina Orlopp, CEO of commerzbank
Nadal needs a comeback off the clay
Rafael Nadal retired from tennis, but he has not stayed still. The Spaniard has exploited his role as a businessman, using the million-dollar earnings from his career to promote projects ranging from hotels and restaurants to renewable energy. One of those bets is NDL Pro-Health, the supplements brand that has already accumulated more than five million euros in losses.
The situation, however, does not look as bad as it seems. Billing grew by 205% in 2025 and the partners continue to support the project with capital and credits. The big burden is advertising spending. To turn the score around, Nadal will have to recover some of that perseverance that so many times allowed him to come back from games that seemed hopelessly lost.
