Eurotopics.net

Tomio Okamura, leader of the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy Party (SPD), has been nominated as speaker of the Czech Chamber of Deputies. He was the candidate of the new centre-right coalition led by Prime Minister-designate Andrej Babiš and was elected despite a heated debate in which he was accused of having racist and pro-Russian views.

The pro-Orbán media group Indamedia has purchased the country's leading newspaper, Blikk. The tabloid was owned by the Swiss Ringier Group for more than three decades but the latter is now selling off its entire Hungarian media portfolio. Indamedia also owns Hungary's largest news website Index. What does this mean for press freedom in the country?

The US's largest city will be governed by Democrat Zohran Mamdani. The 34-year-old politician describes himself as a "democratic socialist" and has promised free buses, free childcare and to freeze some rents. In his victory speech he addressed the US president directly, presenting himself as his new major rival. For the European press, the significance of the election goes far beyond the Big Apple.

The EU Commission has presented its annual EU enlargement report, which assesses the progress made by the ten EU candidate countries in implementing reforms. Montenegro, Albania, Moldova and Ukraine were commended for their efforts, whereas Georgia was criticised for regressing. Commentators look closer.