  European Parliament election 2019

Five months before the European elections observers are predicting heavy losses for the major groups in the European Parliament. They see the Liberals and Greens growing stronger but the conservatives and social democrats in trouble due to pressure from far-right parties. Commentators are at odds about the extent to which this could change Europe's politics.

The two major far-right parties in Italy and France have started their joint campaign for the European elections. Salvini and Le Pen announced in Rome that they would seek to establish a "Europe of nations" after the May vote. While some commentators see the end of the EU approaching, others say the right-wing populists' promises are doomed to fail.

Commentators have long been predicting that the European elections in May will be decisive for Europe's future - not least because the right-wing populists are forming alliances and the hard-right US strategist Steve Bannon has joined the fray with his organisation The Movement. Commentators discuss the populists' appeal and chances of success.

Trump's former chief strategist Steve Bannon announced at the conference of the nationalist Fratelli d'Italia in Rome that he plans to spend most of the next few months in Europe helping far-right parties with their campaign for the European elections. On Sunday he met Czech President Milos Zeman. Commentators explain why they believe his project will fail and how the EU needs to reinvent itself.

After the summer break political life has resumed in the EU and is dominated by the elections to the European Parliament next May. The haggling over the top EU posts has begun, and Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is pressing ahead with plans to abolish daylight saving time. Commentators observe how two opposing camps are positioning themselves for battle.

CSU European politician Manfred Weber has announced that he will run for the post of EU Commission president after the European elections in 2019. The EPP will decide on November 8 whether it will name Weber, its current parliamentary group leader, as lead candidate. Europe's media are already weighing up the pros and cons of Weber becoming EU Commission President.

The groundwork is being laid and candidates are being selected across Europe for the European Parliament elections 2019. Not just since the announcement by US right-wing extremist Steve Bannon that he would support Europe's right-wing populists have fears been mounting that illiberal parties will make major gains. Journalists discuss what can be done to counter this trend.

Migration is to be the key topic of the European elections and the "1968 elite" must be voted out of office: these were the demands put forward by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at the annual Tusványos Festival celebrated by Romania's Hungarian minority. Commentators are at odds about how seriously Orbán's words should be taken.

US President Donald Trump's former chief strategist Steve Bannon wants to support European right-wing populists with his foundation "The Movement" in a bid to instigate a "right-wing populist revolt" in the run-up to the European elections, according to media reports. How dangerous are his plans for Europe?