Eurotopics.net

The UK's Supreme Court has ruled that in future doctors will be able to remove life-support for patients in a permanent vegetative state with the consent of their relatives. Up to now this had only been possible if the relatives took the case to court. Some journalists praise the decision while others see it as transgressing a moral boundary.

Europe is experiencing a period of extreme heat and drought. Devastating forest fires are raging not only in Greece but also in Sweden. Farmers expect huge harvest losses. For scientists this extremely hot summer is a visible consequence of global warming. Journalists call for a debate on the consequences of climate change.

The groundwork is being laid and candidates are being selected across Europe for the European Parliament elections 2019. Not just since the announcement by US right-wing extremist Steve Bannon that he would support Europe's right-wing populists have fears been mounting that illiberal parties will make major gains. Journalists discuss what can be done to counter this trend.

In his annual speech in the Romanian spa town of Băile Tușnad Viktor Orbán called on the people to vote the "liberal elite" out of office in next year's elections to the European Parliament. In 2014 Orbán had already announced his commitment to the "illiberal democracy" that has spread in Europe. How programmatic are his statements this time?

Eight months before the deadline for the UK leaving the EU, fears about the impact of a hard Brexit without a deal with Europe are growing. The media must refrain from creating panic among the people with horror scenarios, some commentators criticise. Other warn that not just the British should be worried about underestimating the consequences.

Tens of thousands of people have demonstrated in Russia against a planned pension reform. Moscow wants to raise the retirement age progressively, from 60 to 65 for men and from 55 to 63 for women. While some commentators see the reform as crucial, for others it's pure cynicism.