The EU Commission has published its fifth Rule of Law report. It concludes that many of the 27 member states have made good progress but harshly criticises Hungary. The report makes eight recommendations to Budapest in all four areas of the rule of law: the justice system, anti-corruption measures, the separation of powers and press freedom. Slovakia was also admonished for shortcomings in the latter area.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave his fourth address to the US Congress on Wednesday. He defended Israel's military actions in the Gaza Strip and promised to defeat Hamas. Israel is doing all it can to protect civilians but Hamas puts them in harm's way, he said. Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi sharply criticised the speech. Europe's commentators are also dissatisfied.
Following the resignation of Estonian prime minister Kaja Kallas, who is to become the EU's new foreign policy chief, the new cabinet under Kallas' successor Kristen Michal convened for the first time in Tallinn this week. One of the first decisions taken was to increase the income and sales tax. The national media are less than enthusiastic.
A bill to liberalise Poland's abortion law - one of Prime Minister Donald Tusk's key election promises - has failed in parliament: 215 deputies voted in favour and 218 against, with two abstentions and 23 absences. The governing coalition of liberals, moderates, conservatives and leftists is split over the legislation. Tuesday saw angry protests by the Women's Strike movement in front of the Sejm.
The German Ministry of the Interior has banned the Islamic Centre Hamburg (IZH) mosque association on the grounds the organisation pursues anti-constitutional goals and spreads aggressive antisemitism and the ideology of the Islamic Revolution in Iran. Tehran summoned the German ambassador to Iran over the issue. Is the ban long overdue?
Vice President Kamala Harris has yet to be officially nominated as the Democratic candidate after Joe Biden's withdrawal from the US presidential campaign, but for many prominent party colleagues and Democratic voters, as well as Europe's press, this is a mere formality. Her chances against Trump and above all her record as former attorney general of California are now the subject of heated debate.
After the boycott of the Hungarian Council Presidency announced by the EU Commission and several northern European countries, EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell has also stripped Hungary of its role as host of an EU foreign ministers meeting planned for August in Budapest and invited the ministers to Brussels instead. The controversy triggered by the decision - which was opposed by several countries including Germany, Spain and Luxembourg - is reflected in Europe's press.
Following its election victory, the left-wing alliance New Popular Front (NFP) has agreed on Lucie Castets as its candidate for the office of prime minister. Castets (37) is a civil servant and economist. President Emmanuel Macron has said that he will not make a decision on the appointment of the prime minister until after the Summer Olympics. The response in the national press is ambivalent.
A new chapter has begun in the long-running debate about language classes in Czech schools. Education Minister Mikuláš Bek wants to make English a compulsory subject from year one and a second foreign language from year six onwards. Up to now English lessons haven't begun until year three, partly due to a lack of teachers.
Europe's most popular holiday destinations are increasingly plagued by hypertourism: between January and April 2024 the number of international flights to Greece increased by 12.3 percent, while the Balearic Islands saw a 9.1 percent increase in tourists in 2023 compared to the previous year. Mass protests have been staged in Tenerife and Mallorca this year over high rents, and Venice is now charging an entry fee. What can be done?