Eurotopics.net

Under pressure from her own government Chancellor Merkel tried to find a pan-European solution to the migration issue at a meeting of 16 EU member states in Brussels on the weekend. The goal was to reach an agreement with individual countries on taking back migrants, ahead of the EU summit at the end of June. Commentators say Germany is writing the script for Europe's downfall.

Liviu Dragnea, head of Romania's Social Democratic Party (PSD) and of the Chamber of Deputies, is refusing to step down despite having been sentenced last week in the first instance for abuse of power. Thousands took to the streets in protest on the weekend. Romania's press hopes that the growing pressure will topple Dragnea eventually.

In the World Championship game between Sweden and Germany the Swedish player Jimmy Durmaz fouled in the last minute leading to a free kick and victory goal for Germany. This in turn prompted a storm of racist abuse on social media against Durmaz, who has Turkish roots. The Swedish press is appalled.

In the run-up to the EU summit at the end of June leading politicians are searching for a solution to the refugee dispute. EU Council President Donald Tusk has proposed setting up centres for processing asylum applications outside the EU. Commentators are sceptical that this will deliver the all-important compromise in the escalating dispute over whether to open or close doors to refugees.