According to the organisers nearly 200,000 people took part in this year's Budapest Pride – far more than in previous marches. Around 70 MEPs also joined the ranks of those demonstrating for LGBTQ rights. Budapest's mayor had framed the event as a municipal 'freedom festival' to foil the Orbán government's attempts to ban it. Commentators shed light on various aspects.
At this week's summit in The Hague, the Nato member states agreed to boost their defence spending to the five percent of GDP demanded by Donald Trump in the medium term. In return, the US president reaffirmed the US's commitment to mutual defence as stipulated in Article 5 of the Nato treaty. The war in Ukraine was only a side issue this time round. Commentators are at odds over how much the alliance's newfound unity is worth.
Multi-billionaire and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos married Lauren Sánchez in Venice on the weekend in a three-day wedding extravaganza. While the rich and famous guests partied protected by heavy security, there were protests against the mega celebration, which cost an estimated ten million dollars. The Venice authorities defended the event as a PR coup for the lagoon city. Europe's press has been unsparing in its criticism.
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of the Serbian capital Belgrade again on Saturday to protest Aleksandar Vučić's government and demand early parliamentary elections. Violent clashes between police and demonstrators ensued. The protests have gone on for eight months and were triggered by the tragedy at the railway station in Novi Sad on 1 November 2024 in which 16 people died.
A showdown in Budapest on Saturday? Viktor Orbáns government had amended the constitution to create the legal basis for banning Pride marches, invoking the 'protection of children'. However, Budapest's mayor, Gergely Karácsony, has declared the event to be a 'freedom festival' of the city which is not subject to legal provisions on the right of assembly. Numerous guests from abroad are expected.
Zohran Mamdani has won the Democratic primary for the New York mayoral election, making it likely that he will be elected mayor of the largest city in the US in November. The young, progressive politician, who was practically unknown when the campaign began, considers himself a socialist and is calling for affordable rents and free public transport.
According to a study by the Danish Centre for Social Science Research Vive, 28 percent of secondary school teachers and 19 percent of primary school teachers have already tried to avoid dealing with controversial topics in class. This applied above all to topics related to Islam. Commentators are alarmed.
Germany's Federal Administrative Court has lifted the ban on the far-right magazine Compact. The court ruled that although much of its content, including the description of migrants as second-class citizens, violated human dignity and democratic principles, this was not a defining feature of the magazine. Presiding judge Ingo Kraft also emphasised that the constitution guarantees freedom of expression and freedom of the press, even to enemies of freedom.
Israel and Iran appear to be observing the ceasefire announced by Donald Trump on Tuesday after several days of the two countries exchanging rocket fire and unusually harsh criticism of their respective leaders by the US president. Europe's press comments on the display of power from Washington and discusses what should follow.
Romania's new, pro-European government was confirmed by the country's parliament on Monday. In his inaugural speech, Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan announced a harsh austerity programme to tackle the budget deficit, which is the highest within the EU. A reduction in public sector staffing, caps on civil servants' salaries and the rollback of privileges are the agenda, as well as increased investments in healthcare and education.
In recent weeks, the number of refugees trying to reach Europe via Libya has increased substantially. Now Athens plans to use the navy to patrol the Libyan coast and ward them off. The message Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis wants to send: people smugglers won't be allowed to dictate who comes to Greece. The national press is divided.