Eurotopics.net

Campaigns for the EU Parliamentary elections slated for May 23 to 26 are launching across Europe. Not all commentators are happy with the choice of topics being addressed.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's AKP remains the strongest force in Turkey after local elections. But it suffered defeats in the major cities. The opposition won in Ankara, Izmir and Antalya and also by a narrow margin in Istanbul. Commentators look at the factors that contributed to the success of the opposition.

According to data put out by the Russian Statistics Service 22.6 percent of Russian households aren't connected to a sewer system, most of them in rural areas. Russian commentators are divided about how vital an achievement modern toilets are.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's AKP remains the strongest force in Turkey after local elections. But it was forced to admit defeat in the biggest cities. The opposition won in Ankara, Izmir and Antalya and scored a narrow victory in Istanbul. Some commentators see the result as heralding change. Others believe Erdoğan's grip on power is still rock solid for the time being.

The government in The Hague launched an initiative for reviving the negotiations on a pension reform, which have already gone on for eight years. The move came after pension funds threatened with cutbacks because they are running out of reserves. Commentators see the Netherlands' Polder model in which employers, trade unions and government representatives seek a consensus together as having reached its limits.