In December, the dispute over the French budget led to the fall of the government under Michel Barnier. After a fierce struggle his successor François Bayrou has now overcome that hurdle. He made it through two votes of no confidence in the National Assembly, after which the Senate approved the budget. Commentators conclude that the situation remains far from stable.
The student protests in Serbia continue unabated: demonstrators blocked a bridge on the weekend, pensioners took to the streets in support of the students and further actions are planned. Commentators explain why the public anger goes far beyond the Novi Sad railway station canopy collapse that triggered the protests in the first place.
During a visit to the US by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Donald Trump floated the idea of the US taking control of the Gaza Strip in order to repair the war damage and turn it into "the Riviera of the Middle East". The White House later explained that this would be for the purpose of reconstruction, with "temporary" relocation of the population. Europe's media discuss the motivations and viability of the proposal.
More than four months after Austria's parliamentary elections, the quest to form a new government continues. Initial coalition negotiations between the ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS failed. Now talks between the right-wing populist FPÖ, which garnered the most votes in the election, and the conservative ÖVP, which came in second, are stalling. The national press sees potentially irreconcilable differences.