Italian MEP Ilaria Salis of the Green and Left Alliance will retain her parliamentary immunity. The European Parliament has decided by a narrow majority. Salis faces trial in Hungary for allegedly physically assaulting right-wing extremists in 2023. Hungarian opposition figures Péter Magyar and Klára Dobrev will also retain their immunity. Which side is failing to uphold democratic principles?
Charges against two British citizens accused of passing state secrets to Beijing were dropped in September, but only now has the main reason for the acquittal been revealed: the government's refusal to officially classify China as a "threat to national security", which is a prerequisite for a conviction. Critics see the decision as politically motivated rather than legally justified.
One man's meat is another man's tofu: the European Parliament has voted 355 to 247 to ban the use of terms such as burger, steak and schnitzel for plant-based foods. If the legislation goes through, such labels would be reserved for animal products, but it has yet to receive the approval of the 27 EU member states. The media see much more than just fraudulent labelling behind the move.
In an interview with the Hungarian website Partizán, former German chancellor Angela Merkel said that she had sought to establish a new EU format for dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin before the outbreak of the Ukraine war in summer 2021, but the initiative failed due to resistance from the Baltic states and Poland. Merkel's statements have drawn criticism from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland in particular. Europe's press takes stock.
Since the terrorist attack on Israel carried out by the radical Islamic Hamas on 7 October 2023, Europe has seen a surge in antisemitic incidents, and demonstrations against Israel have become common at universities, in parliaments and on the streets. Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip is a key factor. Europe's press voices concern.
US President Donald Trump has held out the prospect of supplying Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. He said on Monday that he had "sort of made a decision" on the matter but would want to know how Kyiv intended to use the long-range US weapons system. Putin has responded by saying that such a move would jeopardise his country's revived bilateral relations with the US.
On 7 October 2023, Hamas carried out a terrorist attack in southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and abducting 250 hostages to the Gaza Strip. Since then Israel has been waging war against Hamas in the densely populated Palestinian territory. On the anniversary of the massacre, the media reflect on the situation in the Middle East.
Andrej Babiš's ANO party has won the parliamentary elections in the Czech Republic with 34.5 percent of the vote. This means that after four years in the opposition, the former prime minister is poised to make a comeback. Commentators discuss the reasons behind the billionaire's success and whether the Czech Republic will now abandon its pro-European, pro-Ukrainian course.
The Palestinian terrorist militia Hamas has accepted parts of US President Donald Trump's 20-point plan to resolve the Gaza conflict. Initial talks are scheduled to begin in Egypt today, Monday. While Israel and the US expect an agreement to be reached soon, Hamas is keeping its cards close to its chest. Commentators assess the chances of peace in the Middle East.
Israel has intercepted the international Global Sumud Flotilla, which was attempting to bring aid to the Gaza Strip, long before it reached the coast, and seized its 40 ships and boats. Of the 462 people on board, more than 300 are still in Israeli custody. Israel described the flotilla's mission as a provocation and is in the process of deporting the activists one after the other.
In recent days Morocco has been shaken by major protests staged mainly by young people. Initially they were peaceful, but in the meantime there have been clashes in which three people have died and hundreds have been injured or arrested. The demonstrators are calling for investments in education and healthcare instead of in infrastructure for the 2030 World Cup.