Eurotopics.net

The global economic elite is currently in Davos for its annual meeting. Among the roughly 3,000 participants, key players such as Trump, May and Macron are conspicuous by their absence. Reason enough for some commentators to suggest that the forum can't bring any solutions to the problems at hand. Others see it is a place where further major crises can be avoided.

After the failure of the Brexit deal in the British parliament, Theresa May presented her Plan B for leaving the European Union on Monday. The plan foresees her going back to Brussels to renegotiate the backstop solution for Ireland stipulated in the exit deal, but the EU is not open to new talks on this issue. Commentators show little understanding for May's obstinacy.

Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron will sign a new German-French friendship treaty today in the Coronation Room of Aachen Town Hall. The document will supplement the Elysée Treaty signed 56 years ago in Paris by then chancellor Konrad Adenauer and French president Charles de Gaulle. However, many observers are disappointed with the new version of the agreement.

The yellow vest protests of recent weeks have not only been marked by confrontation with the police. Demonstrators have also attacked journalists and blocked printing facilities to prevent newspapers from being delivered. The yellow vests accuse many media of unobjective and biased reporting. France's press voices concern about the state of freedom of opinion.

In Barcelona taxi drivers have been staging protests against online services like Uber and Cabify over the last few days. They have blocked arterial roads, demanding fair competition, and the protests have also spread to Madrid. Spanish commentators criticise the manner of the protests and stress that the entire sector needs new regulations.