Eurotopics.net

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has announced an action plan to tackle the country's escalating housing shortage. Empty flats are to be converted into affordable rental flats with the help of subsidies and tax breaks and 3,300 public flats are to be built as an initial measure. In addition, there will be new restrictions on holiday flats and property ownership by non-EU citizens.

Incumbent Zoran Milanović has won a second term as Croatia's president in the runoff vote on Sunday. He secured more than 74 percent of the vote, easily beating former minister Dragan Primorac, who was supported by the conservative ruling party HDZ. Milanović comes from the Social Democratic Party. He was prime minister from 2011 to 2016 and has held the office of head of state since 2020.

US President-elect Donald Trump plans to meet with President Vladimir Putin soon to discuss Russia's war against Ukraine. Talking from his Mar-a-Lago estate, Trump said he knew that Putin wanted a meeting and that a conversation was being prepared for the near future, stressing: "We have to end this war." Commentators are divided.