In the Romanian presidential run-off vote on Sunday, Nicușor Dan, a pro-European independent candidate and mayor of Bucharest, is pitted against George Simion from the ultra-right AUR party. Simion scored a clear victory in the first round of the election, securing 41 percent of the vote compared to Dan's 21 percent. Tensions are running high in the commentary sections.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a U-turn in migration policy, declaring his aim of ending what he called a 'squalid chapter' of rising inward migration. Among other measures tougher requirements for obtaining work visas and citizenship are planned. For commentators, the government's proposed reforms raise fundamental questions.
During his trip through the Gulf region, Donald Trump met for the first time with Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa. Even before the talks, which took place in the Saudi capital Riyadh, the US president announced that all sanctions against Syria would be lifted. At the same time Washington is urging Damascus to improve its ties with Israel. Europe's press examines the far-reaching consequences.
Europe is heading for an electoral super Sunday this weekend: Romania will hold the second round of its presidential election, Poland the first, and Portugal will elect a new parliament. While many have decried the decisive role Tiktok allegedly played in the Romanian election campaign, commentators from Poland and Portugal criticise the lack of debate on substantive issues.
French film star Gérard Depardieu has been found guilty of sexually assaulting two women on a film set and given a suspended jail term of 18 months. The court in Paris also placed him on a list of sex offenders and ordered him to undergo psychological treatment. The media discuss France's shortcomings in the moral and legal assessment of sexual assaults.
Donald Trump was given a lavish welcome by Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. After the meeting in the royal palace the White House announced a historic arms deal. Trump also seems likely to accept a luxury plane as a gift during his upcoming visit to Qatar. Europe's press ponders the consequences.
The banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has announced that it is disbanding. The move follows a call at the end of February by its imprisoned leader Abdullah Öcalan to lay down its arms. According to the Kurdish news agency ANF, the decision was made a week ago at a party congress in northern Iraq. A look at Europe's press shows why this news is provoking concern as well as relief.
China and the US have agreed to significantly reduce their mutual tariffs in their escalating trade dispute. Following consultations between the two sides in Geneva, US tariffs on Chinese imports will drop to 30 percent and Beijing's levies on US imports will drop to 10 percent as of Wednesday. Prior to the deal the tariffs had been raised to 145 and 125 percent respectively. The new arrangement will initially apply for 90 days. The media weigh in.
The leaders of Britain, Germany, Poland and France visited Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Saturday, where they made a joint phone call to Donald Trump and also reiterated the demand for a 30-day ceasefire as a starting point for negotiations - threatening that otherwise new sanctions against Russia would follow. European media outlets assess the impact of the EU leaders' visit.