Eurotopics.net

The decision to repeat Istanbul's mayoral election at the end of June at the behest of Erdoğan's AK party has triggered a public outcry in Turkey and beyond. Opposition candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu, who won the election at the end of March by a razor-thin majority, has stressed that "everything will be alright" and called on artists and business people to speak out. Turkish media discuss the start of the new election campaign.

The MEPs who will be elected between 23 and 26 of May will be responsible for EU legislation together with the Council of Ministers. But only the EU Commission can propose new laws. Critics bemoan the democratic deficit and would like to see more power for the parliament. Commentators also point to shortcomings in EU institutions.

At the EU summit in Sibiu European heads of state and government have signed a declaration reaffirming their commitment to the EU's fundamental values. Originally the meeting in Romania, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency, was intended to mark a new beginning after Brexit. But the agenda changed, and commentators examine the upshot.

The winner of Spain's general election Pedro Sánchez is seeking a stable government majority and banking on dialogue with the Catalans to achieve it: he has nominated Miquel Iceta, a moderate regionalist from the Socialists' Party of Catalonia, as the new speaker of the Spanish Senate, the parliamentary chamber where the country's regions are represented. The reactions of the press testify to a hardening of the fronts.

Pope Francis on Tuesday finished his three-day visit to Bulgaria and North Macedonia. In both countries, in which less than one percent of the population is Catholic, he was given a joyous reception by the faithful. Orthodox clergy, however, refused to pray for peace with him in Sofia - provoking divided reactions from commentators.