The legitimacy of Afghanistan's president Hamid Karzai has been permanently undermined by the election fraud and the withdrawal of his rival Abdullah Abdullah, writes the daily Der Standard, adding that the West must take swift action and make sure Karzai can no longer evade his responsibilities: "Hamid Karzai, who was able to deceive the government of US president George W. Bush, should no longer be allowed to escape the limelight. Bush's successor Barack Obama must crank up the pressure on the Pashtuns; if necessary explain Kabul's failings to the Afghan public; threaten to turn off the money tap; place trustworthy persons in Karzai's cabinet; and in general widen the political basis and push for a government of national unity that includes Abdullah Abdullah. … Karzai's election fraud demands more and not less engagement in Afghanistan." (02/11/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Domestic Policy, » U.S., » Afghanistan
All available articles from » Markus Bernath

The announcement by opposition leader Abdullah Abdullah that he will boycott the run-off ballot will not be of any particular consequence, writes the daily Postimees: "Regardless of who takes part, the incumbent Hamid Karzai would have been guaranteed a victory as Abdullah had minimal chances of winning. In addition no one dares believe that the second ballot will be any more honest, or that it will make the outcome any more legitimate. If the participation drops any lower it will only further weaken the vote's significance as an expression of the popular will. Abdullah abandoned the race peacefully, and refrained from calling for demonstrations or a boycott. It remains to be hoped that he will play a constructive role as opposition leader. Perhaps Karzai will even include him in the government, which would also be a good solution." (02/11/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Elections, » Afghanistan

The liberal daily Mladá Fronta Dnes calls the current poitical crisis in Afghanistan before the run-off election for the office of president a no-win situation: "The West and Afghanistan have only two possibilities, whereby one is worse than the other: either there will be no run-off vote or there will be one with Karzai as the only candidate. Anything else will make a mockery of both the regime and the West that supports it. ... This is the result of eight years of effort to establish democracy in the region and modernise the medieval conditions which reign there. ... But this tragedy does have a comic aspect. If [Karzai's challenger Abdullah] Abdullah packs his bags, Ramazan Baschardost, the third contestant in the first ballot, could now enter the ring. He's saying that Karzai and Abdullah falsified the first ballot to such an extent that they deserve the Nobel Prize for Fraud." (02/11/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Domestic Policy, » Afghanistan
All available articles from » Milan Vodička

The daily Sydsvenska Dagbladet examines the difficult situation in Afghanistan now that President Hamid Karzai's rival Abdullah Abdullah has pulled out of the runoff vote. "The security situation in Afghanistan is profoundly worrying. From a purely statistical point of view it is a major challenge, particularly in the winter, to organise an election in a country where many areas are inaccessible. But this doesn't change the decision of the international community in the slightest: democracy will not make way for violence. … The Afghans should cast their votes in a fair election. Daoud Ali Najafi, the head of the Afghan Election Commission IEC, has said clearly: 'A look at the election laws and the constitution shows that a second round of voting is necessary.' This sounds easy but will be difficult in practice." (02/11/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Elections, » Afghanistan

The former French president Jacques Chirac must go on trial for an affair over illegal party financing in the 1990s. Although the prosecution had demanded that the case be dismissed, the judge in charge of the case, Xavière Simeoni, has now opened the criminal proceedings. Anything else would have been scandalous, writes the daily Le Monde: "This spectacular decision has embarrassed a good number of politicians. On the right, of course, where people are saying that at almost 77 years of age and after having retired from political life, Mr Chirac 'doesn't deserve such treatment', and that, twenty years after the fact, he has a right to 'forget'. ... Despite the petition in September by the Paris prosecution demanding that the case be dismissed, Simeoni was of the opinion that it must go to trial. ... In view of her conviction it would have been scandalous to show Mr Chirac leniency." (31/10/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » France

The Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has vociferously demanded the same Beneš decrees exemptions for Slovakia as Czech Presdient Václav Klaus secured for his country. The leftist daily Pravda criticises that Fico failed to make his demands in Brussels: "For Slovakia the EU summit came to an excruciating and humiliating end. Klaus celebrated the fact that he was able to secure an exemption clause from the Treaty of Lisbon and thus strengthen the legal sovereignty of his republic. The Hungarian prime minister celebrated that Slovakia wasn't granted an exemption and that the decrees weren't even mentioned in the Council of Europe's declaration. The European leaders celebrated the overcoming of this last obstacle to the ratification of Lisbon. And because he didn't want to be the odd one out Fico joined in the celebrations, even though he had achieved nothing for Slovakia. In doing so he negated all the pompous declarations he had made just a week before. But this was only to be expected. Fico switches on his bravado for the TV cameras - and switches it off as soon as he gets round the next corner." (02/11/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Constitution, » History, » Czech Republic, » Slovakia, » Europe
All available articles from » Dag Daniš

Polish workers can apply to the British government for child benefits to support their children living in Poland. The Daily Telegraph blames EU directives for this and says the British government should take action to prevent it: "It's hard to blame people who come to work in Britain for claiming benefits for children they have left behind. In Poland, for example, the government pays only a quarter of the amount offered by the Treasury. But we do criticise our Government. It makes no sense to hand our taxpayers' money to Poles living in Poland. The Treasury blames the European Union, whose rules derive from a patently false belief that all member economies are at the same level. They are not; all the regulations do is encourage people from poorer EU countries to go and work in richer ones, such as the UK, which will pay more generous benefits to their children back home. The result is irrational and unjust - and yet another issue on which the Government should stand up to the EU, and refuse to abide by its ridiculous diktats." (02/11/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Migration, » United Kingdom, » Poland, » Europe

Following US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to Israel last weekend the Israeli government under Benjamin Netanyahu has stressed its willingness to resume peace talks with the Palestinians, but on its own terms, the liberal-conservative daily Corriere della Sera notes: "A year of historical speeches in Cairo and fruitless missions in Jerusalem [since US President Barack Obama took office]. A year for the realisation to dawn that everything has changed but nothing is changing. … The icy smile of Hillary Clinton telling us that freezing the settlement policy is no longer necessary is exactly the opposite of what was shown and said up to now. It puts the hopes of the Palestinians on ice and warms the hearts of the Israeli majority. … So what happens now with the poor man [Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas]? Threatened by Hamas, which dreams of toppling him in the presidential elections in January, and abandoned by Washington, he has been driven into a corner." (02/11/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Middle East, » Israel
All available articles from » Francesco Battistini

Since the murder of Islam-critical Dutch film director Theo van Gogh by a radical Islamist five years ago right-wing populist Geert Wilders has dominated media and politics with his "crusade against Islam", the Turkish-born actress and writer Nazmiye Oral writes in the left-liberal daily De Volkskrant: "Since September 11, 2001 we have been dealing with 'unfinished business'. Either we look at our fellow human beings and feel alienation, fear and hate or we conquer this fear and seek confrontation and see where this leads us. Wilders feeds on our fear. Wilders is not a charismatic leader. … He doesn't need to chart out a new path in which he leads the new Netherlands. All he has to do for his supporters is gather proof. Proof of threats, of injustice that is being done to him. Proof that they are better than the enemy. Proof that they are being conquered and changed forever [by immigrants]." (02/11/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Integration, » Minorities, » Netherlands
All available articles from » Nazmiye Oral

In the wake of a bomb attack on the conservative Greek politician Marietta Giannakou in Athens over the weekend, Stavros Psycharis writes in the left-liberal daily To Vima about the acceptance of terrorism in Greek society: "For it to take on such dangerous proportions, terrorism needs social backing. The dictatorship [1967-1974] in Greece is one of the factors that promoted the development of Greek terrorism. Let's be honest! Which Greek thought that professor Sakis Karagiorgos was a terrorist when he lost his arm putting together a homemade bomb with which he wanted to challenge the junta? Which Greek would call Alekos Panagoulis a terrorist because he wanted to assassinate the hated dictator? ... How many Greeks have - in secret of course - justified the murder of police officers [by the terrorist group 17 November] who tortured opponents of the regime under the junta? Let's be honest! Terrorism has been successful in the decades following the fall of the Junta because many people closed their eyes to it." (01/11/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » History, » Greece
All available articles from » Stavros Psycharis

In a column published in the Polish tabloid Fakt British Foreign Secretary David Miliband calls for swift and earnest action on climate protection, notwithstanding other important issues: "The developed world must reduce its emissions substantially. And it must guarantee poorer countries the financial means and technology to do likewise. In a month at the UN summit in Copenhagen, decisions will be taken that determine the future of the planet. But a deal in Copenhagen is in danger; and the greatest danger of all is that amidst the competing priorities of economic recovery, Afghanistan and nuclear non-proliferation we fail to see the problem until it is too late. To tip the balance, the UK government this week began a new diplomatic push with European colleagues from France, Finland, Denmark and Sweden. We are working on four fronts." (02/11/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Energy, » Global
All available articles from » David Milibrand, » David Miliband

Following a brief dip in value during the financial and economic crisis the euro is once again on the rise and has almost reached the record high of 1.60 dollars in April 2008 again. But this time round there is no reason to get worried, the business paper Expansión concludes. "The recent revaluation of the euro … not just against the dollar but also against the pound and the yen, is not causing the same concern as back then. Two factors explain this: the Community's currency needs to assume a leading role to correct the imbalances in the global economy, and this strength can also be positive for Europe. If during the period of economic expansion the revaluation of the euro reduced the competitiveness of [European] exports and magnified the effects of the rises in interest rates, in the current situation it is balancing out inflationary tensions … and making supplies of raw materials cheaper, which without doubt is a good thing for companies." (02/11/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Fiscal Policy, » Economic Policy, » Inflation, » Europe, » U.S., » Japan

The French comic book character Asterix is celebrating his 50th birthday and the British daily The Guardian sends its best wishes, writing that the comic's appeal comes from its not being afraid to put its finger in the wound of national clichés: "Part of Asterix's appeal lies in the gentle prodding of European national stereotypes: the fondue- and cuckoo-clock-obsessed Swiss, the milky-tea-drinking British and the beer-swilling Belgians. But while the parodies are occasionally mischievous, they are also humane. If Goscinny and Uderzo had a message to convey in among all the fun, it was that inflated egos deserve to be punctured - hence the hilarious monikers. You may be a Roman centurion, but no one can take you seriously when your name is Crismus Bonus." (02/11/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Literature, » Public Culture, » Europe

What does it mean to be French? In the coming months France will be dealing with this identity debate. France's president Nicolas Sarkozy is thus reigniting a debate he launched back in 2007, shortly after he took office. The daily Süddeutsche Zeitung analyses Sarkozy's initiative: "In other countries, too, since the fall of the Berlin Wall citizens are focusing on their own nations, particularly in Central Europe. For the European Union, however, this identity debate is a painful experience, for instance in the case of failed referendums. … Naturally Sarkozy is also pursuing egoistic goals with this debate. In a few months regional elections will take place. In this context the nationality question is a convenient distraction from scandals, public debt and other malaises. Moreover Sarkozy's centre-right hopes to lure voters away from the extreme right by using national themes. But the president runs the risk of constructing a sharp contrast between nation and immigration and thus pitting the French against the immigrants." (02/11/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » EU neighbourhood policy, » France
All available articles from » Stefan Ulrich

The Internet company Google presented its music service on Wednesday of last week, which operates in conjunction with the Internet music sites iLike and Lala. The daily Le Temps analyses the possible benefits to the music industry: "Will Google save the music industry? That is no doubt what certain directors of the big companies - those who bemoan the drop in CD sales and the unflagging piracy in the Internet - are hoping. ... The approach is commendable, since these well-known sites make it easy for users to broaden their musical universe. And it's conceivable that it will encourage them to buy more titles. So much for the carrot. And at the same time the stick is getting closer all the time. French lawmakers are trying to introduce a law restricting pirates' access to the Internet, and England is taking similar measures. The British government has confirmed that a bill will be voted on in November based on the same principle of progressive warnings followed by restricted access." (02/11/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Music, » Online media, » Global
All available articles from » Anouch Seydtaghia

The Flemish tabloid Het Laatste Nieuws is to pay 600,000 euros in compensation for accusing Patrick Lefevere, the manager of the professional cycling team Quick Step, of encouraging doping in his team in an "absolutely unacceptable" way. The judgement is justified, writes Peter Vandermeersch in the daily De Standaard: "Two and a half years ago I wrote in these pages concerning this affair that 'what colleagues dare to call journalism has nothing more to do with the difficult and nuanced search for the truth'. ... After reading the judgement I find these words have well withstood the test of time. The population's trust in us, the media, has never been lower, and we have only ourselves to blame. If we, the journalists who so much love to chastise other professions, fail to appraise our own work and that of our colleagues with more scrutiny and criticism, then the judges will have to do it for us." (02/11/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Print media, » Sport, » Belgium
All available articles from » Peter Vandermeersch