Now that the two-week ceasefire in the Iran war has begun, doubts about whether it will hold are growing. Israel has intensified its attacks on Lebanon, which Tehran sees as a violation of the agreement, and uncertainty about whether the Strait of Hormuz will remain open as agreed is increasing. Talks between Iran and the US are due to begin in Pakistan on Saturday. Europe's press delivers a sobering assessment of the situation.
Israel has said that the ceasefire agreed between Washington and Tehran does not apply to its war against the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon and is continuing its attacks. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, more than 180 people died in Israeli attacks on Wednesday. Commentators focus on the role of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in this war.
Ten years ago on 6 April 2016, in the run-up to his first presidential campaign, Emmanuel Macron founded the En Marche movement, which now operates as a political party under the name Renaissance. Its aim was to overcome the right-left polarisation in France's political landscape and give the country a new dynamic. Commentators evaluate its success.
Two court cases have begun against former high-ranking politicians from the country's two main parties: the ruling Socialist PSOE and the conservative Partido Popular (PP). The charges include embezzlement of public funds and covering up illegal party financing. The national media see the scandals less as isolated criminal cases and more as a flaw in the political system.
At the last moment, Tehran and Washington have agreed on a two-week ceasefire. Donald Trump continued to ramp up his threats as the US ultimatum deadline loomed, announcing that 'an entire civilisation will die' if Iran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The initial reaction in the European press is one of shock rather than relief.
The four-person Orion crew has successfully completed its orbit of the Moon. The space capsule is now making its return, with the help of Earth's gravitational pull. The photos and live streams from Orion are circulating around the world. But as the media commentary shows, people's excitement about technological progress is matched by their concern for the future.
Portugal celebrated 50 years of its democratic constitution at the beginning of April – but the document may now be facing a major revision. For the first time, the PSD, IL and Chega parties have created a two-thirds parliamentary majority to the right of the political centre, and they are now seeking to amend the 1976 constitution, which still bears the hallmarks of the left-wing Carnation Revolution.
Trump has issued the Iranian leadership with an ultimatum, saying that unless the Strait of Hormuz is reopened by Tuesday night, power stations and bridges across Iran will be destroyed. Israel has also warned the Iranians on X to keep away from trains and railway stations. The UN is calling for a ceasefire and warning against violations of international law. Alarm bells are ringing in Europe's press.
Hungary has entered the final week in the run-up to next Sunday's general election. The polls put Péter Magyar's centre-right opposition party, Tisza, well ahead of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's Fidesz, which has been ruling the country in an increasingly authoritarian manner for the past 16 years. Europe's media discuss the wider implications of the election beyond Hungary's borders.
After US Secretary of State Marco Rubio lashed out at Nato, US President Donald Trump has now threatened to pull the US out of the defence alliance altogether. In an interview on Wednesday he said that he was seriously considering withdrawal after the war with Iran ends. His comments were prompted by the refusal of several EU countries to assist the US in attacking Iran. How seriously should Europe take this threat?
The CEO of German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall, Armin Papperger, has provoked outrage with comments about Ukrainian drone production. He described it as crude technology being put together by 'housewives' in kitchens. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded by saying the remarks were bizarre.