The liberal daily Corriere del Ticino sees the ANC's share of the vote as a decisive factor in South Africa's parliamentary elections: "The percentage of votes will show whether an erosion [of power] lies ahead. … In 2004 the ANC won 69.69 percent of the vote. Today that figure stands at 65 percent, but should it go any lower it would not be a satisfactory result for the party. If it falls below 60 percent that would clearly be a negative sign for the leadership of Jacob Zuma …, who is regarded with great distrust by both the domestic and foreign financial markets owing to his populist excesses. South Africa has experienced a boom in recent years - albeit only at a macro-economic level - while at the same time the number of dispossessed has swollen. Over 40 percent of the population is unemployed and has to live on less than one dollar a day, and this is driving up the already historically high crime rate. At the same time the HIV infection rate is also soaring: over 5 million people - around 13 percent of the population - are already affected." (22/04/2009)

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On the day of the parliamentary elections in South Africa, the conservative Daily Telegraph sees the ANC's dominance as a danger for democracy: "There is something deeply disturbing about the mood of triumphalism that appears to have taken root within the African National Congress ahead of today's South African general election, the most significant since the ANC first came to power in 1994. ... Disillusionment with the ANC's performance has led to the creation of the Congress of the People, which could be an effective opposition to the ruling party, particularly if it formed a coalition with the Democratic Alliance. Mr Zuma has already made threatening noises about amending the constitution to curb the judiciary. It is for this reason that we hope the millions of South Africans who turn out today will cast their vote in favour of democracy, rather than the one-party dominance that Mr Zuma craves." (22/04/2009)

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Le Monde comments on the certain victory of ANC leader Jacob Zuma in the South African parliamentary elections: "For the first time in half a century a Zulu (the largest black group in the country) is at the head of the 'liberation party'. ... Yet this is a politician steeped in controversy, who has 'miraculously' escaped a corruption trial, who will be named president by the parliament. In many respects this entirely self-educated 67-year old, who has spent his life in the party and ten years in the apartheid prisons, remains an enigma. ... As South Africa enters a recession, and while a large number of the ANC's pledges are addressed to the poor - 40 percent of the country's 48 million citizens - the sole certitude is that Mr Zuma's mandate will be anything but peaceful." (21/04/2009)

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Jacob Zuma, head of the South African ruling ANC, is going to the polls assured of victory. The conservative daily Die Welt wonders if he has the strength to bring about reforms that can reconcile the country with itself and instill a sense of confidence among the white population: "Zuma is many things, but he is no visionary. He is devoid of charisma, but full of tricks and brutality. He now says that one term in office will be enough, and that is supposed to sound reassuring. But also in Africa the appetite comes while you are eating. It doesn't say much for the country's future that the long list presented by the prosecutor's office did not by any means work to his disadvantage. A two-thirds majority in parliament would bode ill not only for the courageous opposition, but also for South Africa and its standing in the world - the country was recently a respected participant at the G20 summit in London. Things will remain calm until the FIFA World Cup in 2010. After that it's anyone's bet what will happen. But South Africa is not lost yet." (22/04/2009)

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All available articles from » Michael Stürmer

The final statement passed at the UN anti-racism conference in Geneva is not an acceptable compromise but a dangerous document, the daily De Standaard writes. "How can a satisfactory compromise be reached between democracies and dictatorships on fundamental rights like freedom of conscience? This is a point where you can't be 'a little bit pregnant'. This is weak point in the Durban II final statement, which among other things condemns 'Islamophobia' and 'Christophobia' and thus puts the protection of religion above the protection of people. The term 'Islamophobia', we should be aware, was used as a weapon against reform-conscious Muslims by fundamentalist Muslim regimes. This term is also used for example in purportedly moderate Egypt with great 'success' to condemn Muslim intellectuals." (22/04/2009)

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All available articles from » Mia Doornaert

Turkish-Cypriot politician and columnist Sener Levent writes in the daily Politis that the victory of the right-wing nationalist Party of National Unity (UBP) in Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus is a triumph for Ankara. He contends that the party received direct support from Turkey. "Ankara is playing a game of cat and mouse here [in Cyprus]. It chooses the leader it pleases for us without taking us into consideration. … In these elections Ankara played its hand more skilfully than ever before. It pretended to support Turgay Avcı's [Freedom and Reform] party, but in reality it backed the UBP and no one noticed. [The Turkish government] didn't even invite [UBP] leader Derviş Eroğlu to Ankara. It avoided any personal contact with him. But would it be possible for the UBP – which until recently was practically politically dead – to win the election with 45 percent of the vote unless Ankara wanted it to?" (21/04/2009)

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All available articles from » Şener Levent

The European Parliament has decided to rescue its own pension fund with tax money. "This couldn't be more stupid", the NRC Handelsblad newspaper concludes: "While normal pension funds are now taking measures to replenish their reserves the leaders of the European Parliament obviously have no desire to suffer the financial consequences of this personally and instead are shifting the burden onto others. … How tactless and egocentric can an institution that represents the people be? And this just two months ahead of the European Parliament elections, which are already unlikely to strengthen the parliament's mandate as it is. … A representative institution that so demonstratively turns its back on society and deliberately only thinks of itself hardly deserves to be called a representative institution. To limit the damage at least somewhat two months before the European elections, the presidency of the EU Parliament has only one choice: it must revoke the decision as quickly as possible." (22/04/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Tax Policy, » Europe
All available articles from » Mark Beunderman

The daily Romania Libera asks how Romania can help the Republic of Moldova, arguing that other countries have offered far more financial help to the republic than Romania: "Sweden has invested ten times more money in the Moldova Development Fund than Romania. The Swedish Development Agency is a major player in Chişinău and finances various projects, from administrative reforms to electoral observations to analyses of the long distance heating system in Chişinău. The Danes, the British, even the Czechs have offered more funds than Romania. These countries have no special interest in Moldova, some are naive, and Vladimir Voronin's government knows how to secure money and put it to work. What could Romania do? Considering that we are facing a hostile government in Chişinău, we must invest in social projects. Through the NGOs which provide social services, for instance. What a pleasant ring it would have to say: 'This nursery was built by the Romanian government'." (22/04/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU enlargement, » United Kingdom, » Czech Republic, » Denmark, » Sweden, » Romania
All available articles from » Cristian Ghinea

In his column in the daily Jyllands-Posten, the Danish-based author Farshad Kholghi complains that the term "freedom of opinion" is nowadays almost always followed by a "but": "The infamous 'but' after freedom of opinion is not going to go away. ... I wish that our politicians would once and for all demand an apology for the daily violations of human rights in fundamentalist countries, instead of playing up to them. My concerns are no longer focused on the mullahs and their bearded henchmen. What I'm concerned about is what I experience on a day-to-day basis, namely that my well-meaning Danish colleagues view my satirical attacks on religious fanaticism as racist. But the apostles of decency make a fatal mistake when they regard the mullahs' demands for a limitation of freedoms with tolerance. ... Political correctness has been divinely successful at paving the way for the mullahs. Nevertheless we must not give up the fight. It's no longer important to discuss what we should have done during the Muhammad cartoon crisis. We should be thinking about what we do the next time someone offends Islamists. Durban II makes a mockery of those who have been fighting for freedom for years, and who continue to do so." (22/04/2009)

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All available articles from » Farshad Kholgi

Writing in the daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Benedikt Fehr notes that the financial crisis is bringing major change to the global economy: "Even after the crisis recedes there's unlikely to be a return to former patterns of behaviour despite favourable conditions, as consumers in what have so far been importing countries will consume less in the long term and banks will likewise act more cautiously. … There will continue to be international trade, countries with trade surpluses and others with deficits. There are however many indications that private players will be more cautious with the 'growth hormone' in future, and also - hopefully - central banks and governments. Policies should not try to counteract this slower pace that is the result of free market calculations, for example by artificially boosting foreign trade with subsidies. Rather they should be directed at strengthening market forces by refraining from intervention on the foreign exchange market or by implementing the Doha Round on international trade, which removed trade and investment barriers. Granting loans and getting into debt are indispensable factors for economic growth, but when used liberally - this is the lesson to be learned from the crisis - they turn into a destructive poison." (22/04/2009)

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All available articles from » Benedikt Fehr

According to the daily newspaper Diena the consequences of the economic crisis are particularly dramatic in Latvia: "The government meeting this week could be one of the most important in our country's recent history. On Friday the government must decide whether it is in a position to cut its expenses as much as the [International Monetary Fund] IMF has prescribed. And at this meeting called by [President Valdis] Zatler the issue of reforms in the areas of administration, education and the public health system, as well as defence, must also be addressed, with the aim not only of reducing costs but also of making these institutions more efficient. Will the government have the courage to do what needs to be done? … All the members of the cabinet must be aware of what an enormous responsibility rests on their shoulders. There are only two alternatives: either to optimise state functions now or to realise in a couple of months' time that the budget is out of control." (22/04/2009)

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All available articles from » Pauls Raudseps

For the first time in many years a majority of Swedes has spoken out in favour of introducing the euro in their country in an opinion poll. This prompts the daily Expressen to call for a euro referendum at the beginning of the next legislative period: "The main reason for joining the monetary union is political. The euro is an expression of the desire to belong to Europe's inner core. With euro notes in our pockets EU membership will become more tangible and the Swedes would take their place at the table and have a say in Europe's economic future. So should a referendum be held now? The leader of the [oppositional Liberal People's Party] FP Jan Björklund wants it to take place within the next 12 months. This, however, is neither realistic nor desirable. But if it turns out that the 'yes' side has the upper hand one could consider giving the people a new chance at the beginning of the next legislative period." (22/04/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Fiscal Policy, » Sweden, » Europe

Writing in the daily Polska, Zbigniew Maciąg assumes that Poland will soon be producing nuclear energy: "If anyone had asked me a couple of years ago if in the foreseeable future we would be getting cheap energy from a Polish nuclear power plant, I'd have answered without hesitating: not a chance. I remember very well the poor experience we had constructing one such plant in Żarnowiec [Poland's first attempt at building a nuclear power plant]. ... The catastrophe in Chernobyl did the rest, effectively scaring investors away from the nuclear power sector. But times have changed. The world is in the grips of a major economic crisis which has changed people's views of various forms of energy. ... If someone asked me today whether we can expect Polish nuclear power plants, I'd say: the chances are better now than ever before." (22/04/2009)

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All available articles from » Zbigniew Maciąg

The daily La Stampa sees it as a hopeful sign that this year's Pulitzer Prize in all its categories went to newspaper journalists even though Internet articles were also assessed: "The pessimists who regard newspapers as dinosaurs threatened with extinction see this as a swansong. On the other hand it could be proof that not all is lost yet. Considering that the award is about rewarding quality of information, nothing and no one can beat the newspapers. The choice of winners appears to support the theory of Rupert Murdoch, the world's largest publisher, according to which the many websites that compete with newspapers can only survive because they download the articles of these very newspapers for free. … So this is a sign of hope for the survival of quality. However, it seems many publishers in the United States no longer care. [The Pulitzer Prize winner] Paul Giblin has been unemployed since last October." (22/04/2009)

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All available articles from » Vittorio Sabadin

A recent study has shown that the younger generation in the Czech Republic approaches the topic of sex more gingerly than their parents did. The conservative daily Lidové Noviny talks of a sexual "counter-revolution", and praises the growing loyalty between married couples: "The number of extra-marital affairs is sinking. Whereas ten years ago two thirds of all married men and half of married women admitted they had had or were having such affairs, now the corresponding figures are only 55 percent for men and 34 percent for women. ... The survey has in addition once more attempted to shed light on the age-old question as to whether 'size matters'. The answer is a clear 'no', although half of all women respondents admitted they'd never had the chance to find out one way or the other. I think we can all be satisfied with that answer. More such surveys!" (22/04/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Public Culture, » Health and Medicine, » Czech Republic
All available articles from » Martin Weiss, » Martin Zvěřina