Just days after the French centre-right government under Michel Barnier was toppled, President Emmanuel Macron has appointed François Bayrou, a centrist politician, as the new prime minister. Europe's press discusses whether Bayrou can be trusted to form a stable majority and the challenges that lie ahead for his government.
When Donald Tusk came to power at the head of a politically heterogeneous three-way coalition in December 2023, expectations were high after eight years of the right-wing conservative PiS government. One year later, disillusionment is spreading. One reason for this is the government's ongoing conflict with President Andrzej Duda, who is close to the PiS. The Polish press takes stock.
Protests that began in Serbia at the beginning of November after the collapse of a concrete canopy at Novi Sad railway station killed 15 people are spreading: students are blockading around 40 faculties and demonstrations are taking place on an almost daily basis. The protesters are demanding that secret documents relating to the renovation of the railway station in Novi Sad be made public and the release of arbitrarily detained protesters. Commentators see the situation escalating.
On December 4, Brian Thompson, CEO of the health insurance company United Healthcare, was shot dead in broad daylight outside the New York hotel where the group's annual investor conference was due to take place. The alleged perpetrator, 26-year-old Luigi M., was arrested on Monday, and is now being celebrated as a national hero by many Americans who are deeply frustrated with the country's healthcare system. Commentators seek explanations.
For lack of rival candidates the final decision was a mere formality: on Wednesday, Fifa awarded the 2030 men's football World Cup to Spain, Portugal and Morocco (with individual matches in South America) and the 2034 tournament to Saudi Arabia. The fact that the decision to award the 2034 World Cup to the Gulf state was already a given does little to quell indignation in Europe's press.
Romania and Bulgaria are set to become full members of the Schengen Area as of 1 January 2025. Austria has given up its opposition and the EU interior ministers gave the green light for the accession of both countries today, Thursday. Currently, for Romanians and Bulgarians freedom of travel only applies for air travel. Commentators debate the significance of this step.
After the fall of President Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, which was long supported by Russia and Iran, it remains unclear what direction the country's foreign policy will take. While the leader of the victorious Islamists, Abu Muhammad al-Julani, has said he does not want to lead the country into another war, Israel has already launched widespread airstrikes against military installations in the south of the country. The press spotlights the various interests at play.
Ten days after the Romanian parliamentary elections, the Social Democrats (PSD), the National Liberal Party (PNL), the liberal Save Romania Union (USR), the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) and a faction consisting of 19 representatives of other ethnic minorities have agreed to form a pro-European coalition. The alliance also plans to put forward a joint candidate in the re-run of the annulled presidential election. Is this a viable strategy?
In the wake of Assad's fall from power, several European states have suspended asylum proceedings for Syrians and plan to rethink their policies regarding refugees from the country. Around six million people have fled Syria since the outbreak of civil war in 2011. Commentators question whether the conditions for a safe return are in place - and whether this is the debate Europe should be focusing on right now.
Almost five years after Brexit, the UK wants to rebuild closer ties with the EU on trade and defence policy. On Monday Rachel Reeves became the first Chancellor of the Exchequer to take part in a Eurogroup meeting since Brexit was finalised. The British press voices scepticism for a variety of reasons.
The Swedish government's plans to promote the construction of new nuclear reactors with state subsidies and profit guarantees for participating companies have met with widespread criticism. Many experts, companies and authorities fear that the planned expansion of nuclear power will be too expensive and only hamper the development of renewable energies. The Swedish press is divided.