Eurotopics.net

After several unproductive telephone calls between London and Brussels the British government has, as it had threatened to do, introduced a bill that suspends certain parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol. Under the new legislation, a fast-track procedure will apply to goods entering Northern Ireland at customs check points between the two islands, and Northern Irish companies will also be able to choose whether to apply British or EU standards.

The signals from Ankara are becoming increasingly aggressive: neighbouring Greece, it alleges, is arming certain Aegean islands in breach of international law. During a major military exercise last week, President Erdoğan warned of serious consequences. Athens is rejecting Turkish territorial claims, but is attempting to avoid an escalation. Commentators from the two countries assess the tensions.

The first round of local elections took place in almost 1,000 cities in Italy on Sunday. With parliamentary elections slated for May 2023, the local elections are seen as an important test of public opinion. The right-wing nationalist party Fratelli d'Italia and the social democratic party PD emerged as the strongest parties, while Salvini's Lega party and the Five Star Movement are considered the losers.

The results could hardly be closer: after the first round of the parliamentary elections in France, President Emmanuel Macron's Ensemble alliance has only a razor-thin lead against Jean-Luc Mélenchon's left-wing Nupes alliance, having secured 25.75 percent of the vote versus 25.66. The second round of voting next Sunday will determine whether Macron wins an absolute majority of seats in parliament. Will the president emerge severely weakened from these elections?