Eurotopics.net

The Austrian Constitutional Court has overturned the country's ban on assisted suicide on the grounds that it violates the right to free self-determination. Active euthanasia - killing someone at his or her express request - remains a criminal offence. Austria's commentators voice pensive approval.

The Egyptian-Italian investigation into the murder of Giulio Regeni has ended in disagreement. Egypt insists that criminals killed the 28-year-old Cambridge student in February 2016, while Italy blames the Egyptian security services. Just a few days after the investigation was temporarily closed, Emmanuel Macron awarded Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi the Grand Cross of the French Legion of Honour.

Bestselling author John le Carré has died in Cornwall at the age of 89. Le Carré, whose real name was David Cornwell, once worked for secret services himself and garnered international fame with his spy novels from the 1960s onward, in which betrayal and loyalty were key themes. Commentators discuss whether Le Carré's work and the spy novel in general have retained their relevance since the end of the Cold War.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are still not giving up: the talks on a Brexit with trade agreements are being extended once more, the two leaders agreed in a telephone call on the weekend. Commentators in Europe have serious doubts about whether there is any point to prolonging the wrangling.

In the run-up to Christmas it has become apparent in many European countries that the measures taken so far are not enough to keep the infection numbers down. So Germany, among others, is going into full lockdown this week. Many commentators voice dismay at the political failures and conflicting announcements of recent months. But some have pointed out that there is now an opportunity to celebrate according to the true Christmas spirit.

The execution of Iranian opposition journalist Ruhollah Zam has sparked international outrage. Zam had been living in France as a fugitive since 2009, but was lured back to Iraq last year and kidnapped there, according to media reports. He was sentenced in June and hanged near Tehran on Saturday. Europe's press also discusses the future of the nuclear deal against this backdrop.