Eurotopics.net

A government bill in Georgia has sparked mass demonstrations. Under the law, which bears strong similarities to Russian legislation, media and NGOs that receive money from abroad would be classified as foreign agents. On Thursday morning, the government withdrew the bill. The comments in Europe's press - written before the withdrawal - highlight what is at stake here.

The Turkish opposition alliance made up of six parties has agreed on CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu as its joint presidential candidate after almost splitting up over the issue on the weekend. Commentators assess the candidate's prospects.

In France, the string of nationwide strikes and demonstrations against the government's pension reform plans continues. According to the authorities, 1.3 million people took to the streets across the country on Tuesday. Long-distance and local trains were cancelled, teachers staged walkouts and refineries were blocked. What does this fierce resistance mean?

This year, the situation is not looking good at all for gender equality for women and girls worldwide. "Progress in women's rights won over decades is vanishing before our eyes," said UN Secretary-General António Guterres on the occasion of International Women's Day. Crises, war and extremism are the main reasons why true equality is still 300 years away, he said. Europe's press examines different levels of the problem.

An unverified video has been circulating on the internet which shows a Ukrainian prisoner of war being shot by presumably Russian soldiers. According to the Ukrainian army, the man was a Ukrainian soldier who had last fought near Bakhmut and had been missing since 3 February.