Eurotopics.net

EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan stepped down from his position on Wednesday. The Irish government had pushed for his resignation after the country's agriculture minister also quit his post amid a scandal over the two politicians attending a dinner party with 80 guests in violation of Ireland's coronavirus rules. Did the government do the right thing?

On Wednesday, the Milwaukee Bucks were the first team to boycott a game in the National Baskeball Association's (NBA) playoff series. Now other teams and athletes from other sports are joining the strike in protest against racism and police brutality. The strike comes after Jacob Blake, an African American, was shot seven times in the back by a police officer in the state of Wisconsin on the weekend.

After weeks of protests following the Belarusian elections, Aleksander Lukashenka asked Russia for help. Putin has now set up a reserve force for the neighbouring country. Commentators fear a Russian invasion and demand that the EU take a more decisive stand to defend the Belarusian opposition against Kremlin intervention.

In Switzerland, a referendum will be held at the end of September on an initiative launched by the right-wing populist Swiss People's Party (SVP) that aims to end the country's Freedom of movement agreement with the EU so that Switzerland can manage its immigration policy independently of the bloc. If the initiative is accepted, six other agreements would also be terminated, including the agreement on single market access. How dangerous is this course?

Following the announcement that the US will withdraw troops from Germany and station some of them in other European states, resistance to the move is growing among US Democrats and some Republicans. They argue that the plan will weaken Nato and play into Russia's hands. But rather than hoping that the withdrawal will be cancelled Europe should deal with the consequences, commentators warn.