Eurotopics.net

After the regional and local elections in May, the conservative Partido Popular (PP) is negotiating the formation of a coalition government with the far-right Vox party in several regions and municipalities. In the Valencia region a coalition has now been agreed in which Vox will probably take over three ministries. Commentators take different stances on the move, also in view of the upcoming general election.

A mother of three in the UK was sentenced to more than two years in prison on Wednesday after using medication she received under the "pills by post" scheme during the Covid Lockdown to induce an abortion in the 32nd week of pregnancy. The procedure was legal only until the 10th week. Opinions differ widely on whether the sentence is just or too harsh.

Denmark's political elite will come together with citizens for four days at the Folkemøde festival, which starts on Thursday. The far-right Danish-Swedish politician Rasmus Paludan, who became notorious in Sweden for actions such as burning Korans, has been banned by Danish authorities from attending the popular festival, which features political debates as well as entertainment, for security reasons. A sensible decision?

One of Europe's most controversial politicians has passed away: former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi died on Monday in Milan. One of Italy's richest men, the 86-year-old was a construction magnate, media tycoon and founder of the conservative Forza Italia party and was investigated several times for tax evasion, corruption and links to the Mafia. What was the basis of his decades-long political success?