Eurotopics.net

After ten months in office France's Environment Minister François de Rugy has resigned over a spending scandal. According to French online magazine Mediapart Rugy invited guests to lavish dinners on several occasions at the expense of the state. De Rugy has announced that he will bring an action for libel. Was he condemned prematurely?

Donald Trump tweeted that four rising Democrats should go back to where they come from and solve problems there instead of trying to tell the US what to do. Although he mentioned no names, he was clearly referring to four Congresswomen of colour known as "the squad". For commentators, the episode speaks volumes about the current state of US politics.

In the dispute over Turkey drilling for gas in Cypriot waters, the EU has backed its member state and imposed sanctions against Ankara. EU funding for Turkey is to be cut and negotiations on an air traffic agreement suspended. For the opinion sections, this is not going to resolve the conflict.

Ukraine is to hold a snap election for a new parliament on Sunday. According to the polls the party of President Volodymyr Zelensky, who had phone conversations with Putin for the first time in recent days, is likely to capitalise on voter frustration with the established parties. The new party Opposition Platform - For Life, which is seen as Moscow's voice in Kiev, is also running for election. But who is the Kremlin really backing?

Denmark is poised for a change of government after the Social Democrats led by Mette Frederiksen emerged as the strongest party in the general election. The Danish People's Party, by contrast, saw its share of the vote halved. The outcome of the election is widely attributed to Frederiksen having copied the right-wing populists' hardline stance on immigration. Europe's commentators discuss the change of strategy.