Eurotopics.net

A few days after fresh elections were under discussion the coalition negotiations between the far-right Lega Nord and the Movimento Cinque Stelle are now making progress. The two parties have announced their intention of working out a joint programme and a plan for the new cabinet by Monday. This is not necessarily good news for Europe, commentators say.

Just over a year after being elected French president, Emmanuel Macron has been awarded the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen. The jurors said they were honoring Macron in recognition of his vision of a new Europe. But without Berlin's approval Macron's dream will remain unfulfilled and the award will be no more than a consolation prize, commentators point out.

Left-wing student and civil rights movements came to a head in many countries 50 years ago. The so-called "68ers" championed democracy, social freedom, emancipation, the environment and other causes. What made the movement what it was?

On the 200th birthday of Karl Marx a bronze statue was unveiled in his home town of Trier in south-west Germany - a controversial gift from China. At a ceremony marking the opening of several exhibitions, EU Commission President Juncker stressed that Marx must be understood in the context of his times. A look at Europe's press shows that this is no easy task.

Opposition members demonstrated on Sunday in several Russian cities in anticipation of Vladimir Putin's fourth inauguration. Supported by representatives of the pro-Kremlin National Liberation Movement and men wearing Cossack uniforms, the police attacked the demonstrators with truncheons and made a number of arrests. In the view of commentators the state won't achieve its goals with this crackdown.