Eurotopics.net

In December, the dispute over the French budget led to the fall of the government under Michel Barnier. After a fierce struggle his successor François Bayrou has now overcome that hurdle. He made it through two votes of no confidence in the National Assembly, after which the Senate approved the budget. Commentators conclude that the situation remains far from stable.

The student protests in Serbia continue unabated: demonstrators blocked a bridge on the weekend, pensioners took to the streets in support of the students and further actions are planned. Commentators explain why the public anger goes far beyond the Novi Sad railway station canopy collapse that triggered the protests in the first place.

Syria's new interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa has visited Ankara, where he was officially received by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. An inaugural visit to Paris is also under discussion. Commentators describe a rapidly changing situation with both winners and losers.

During a visit to the US by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Donald Trump floated the idea of the US taking control of the Gaza Strip in order to repair the war damage and turn it into "the Riviera of the Middle East". The White House later explained that this would be for the purpose of reconstruction, with "temporary" relocation of the population. Europe's media discuss the motivations and viability of the proposal.

US President Donald Trump has demanded valuable raw materials in return for further military and financial support for Ukraine. A similar proposal was already part of the "Victory Plan" presented by Volodymyr Zelensky last September. Ukraine has significant deposits of rare earths, titanium and lithium. Commentators assess the chances of a deal.