Eurotopics.net

An elite army unit in Niger has deposed the country's president Mohamed Bazoum. Their leader, General Omar Tchiani, has appointed himself the new ruler. Neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali have warned against any interference by the West African community of states Ecowas and said that any military intervention would be seen as a "declaration of war". The media debate in particular the roles played by France and Russia.

At a party convention held on the weekend the German AfD selected its top candidates for the 2024 European elections. Maximilian Krah, a member of the European Parliament representing the far-right wing of the party, was elected as the lead candidate. Thomas Haldenwang, head of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, has warned of growing unconstitutional tendencies. Commentators see the moderate faction as weakened and assess the situation.

169,000 households in Italy have been informed via SMS that starting August 1 they will no longer receive the citizen's income introduced four years ago. The reason is the stricter requirements for receiving the minimum social security passed by the right-wing government under Giorgia Meloni. Protests have broken out particularly in Naples, where a significant number of people rely on the citizen's income.

In the course of the two-day Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg Russian President Putin offered free grain deliveries to individual African states. In the run-up to the summit Russia had allowed the Black Sea Grain Initiative to expire, leading to an increase in world market prices. The participants reacted cautiously to Moscow's offer and voiced isolated criticism of the war against Ukraine. Europe's press takes stock.