The number of crimes motivated by antisemitism in France has risen significantly since the recent escalation in the Middle East. Now the rape of a twelve-year-old girl, apparently motivated by antisemitism, has sent shock waves through the country. Against this backdrop, taking a stance on hostility towards Jews has become an election campaign issue. Several voices accuse representatives of the new left-wing alliance NFP who are critical of Israel of antisemitism. Europe's press observes the situation with concern.
Former Czech prime minister Andrej Babiš has announced that his Ano party is leaving the liberal Renew Europe group in the European Parliament, citing differences of opinion on the Green Deal and migration as the main reasons. There is now speculation in the press and on social media that Babiš will form a new sovereigntist parliamentary group with Orbán's currently partnerless Fidesz party and Fico's Smer.
After North Korea and Russia signed a military assistance treaty, South Korea is apparently considering supplying Ukraine with military equipment, the country's news agencies report. South Korea has so far stuck to a policy of not supplying weapons to war zones. Commentators see the news as an important development.
On 23 June 2016 the British voted in a referendum to leave the European Union. On 31 January 2020, after much wrangling over terms, the divorce was finalised. On the 8th anniversary of the referendum commentators discuss how the UK has fared since leaving the EU - also as the country heads for its general election on 4 July.
On Thursday Romania became the last Nato member state after Hungary and Slovakia to announce its support for Mark Rutte's election as the alliance's new Secretary General. The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis was also in the running to succeed Jens Stoltenberg, who is stepping down after ten years in office. Europe's press is confident that Dutch Prime Minister Rutte is the right man for the job.
Tensions between Israel and the Lebanese Islamist Hezbollah militia have increased after the Israeli army announced it had authorised plans for a possible intervention in Lebanon. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah threatened Cyprus would become "part of the war" if Cypriot harbours and airports were used for attacks - a scenario which Nicosia immediately ruled out. Europe's press analyses the developments.
The MEPs of Hungarian newcomer party Tisza - including party leader Péter Magyar - have been accepted into the EPP group. The MEPs of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party, on the other hand, are without a group at present. Efforts to include them in the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists group have apparently been unsuccessful to date. Commentators look at how the situation has changed.
The Russian president Vladimir Putin visited the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Wednesday. In Pyongyang they signed a "partnership deal" on close cooperation and pledging mutual defense assistance. The extent to which military-technical cooperation is written into the agreement, however, remains unclear.
The EU Commission is getting down to brass tacks: in view of excessive budget deficits and debt it intends to initiate deficit procedures against seven countries. In addition to France and Italy, the measures will affect Poland, Belgium, Hungary, Malta and Slovakia. According to EU rules gross debt may not exceed 60 percent of GDP, and annual new debt may not exceed three percent. Commentators eye the situation in their respective countries.
A BBC investigation holds the Greek coastguard responsible for the deaths of over 40 migrants who were allegedly taken from territorial waters in 15 incidents between 2020 and 2023. According to the BBC, in at least five cases people were thrown into the sea. Europe's press discusses these and other cases of pushbacks on the EU's outer borders.
In the final declaration of the peace conference at the luxury Bürgenstock resort in Switzerland, the majority of participants declared their support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine: 84 out of 92 representatives present signed the declaration. Measures for the country's food and energy security were also outlined. A follow-up event, possibly in Saudi Arabia or Turkey, is still being negotiated.
With the narrow approval of the Council of Ministers on Monday, the new EU Nature Restoration Law has been finalised. One fifth of damaged ecosystems are to be restored to their original state by 2030, going up to 100 percent by 2050. The Yes vote was only possible because Austria's Green Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler voted in favour, against the will of her boss Chancellor Karl Nehammer's ÖVP. Europe's commentators take up the debate.