Twenty-five years ago today, Islamist terrorists hijacked four US passenger aircraft and attacked key symbols of American power. Nearly 3,000 people died. The attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon triggered lasting changes in international security and foreign policy. Europe's press discusses the knock-on effects.
In the run-up to the Swedish general election on Sunday, the centre-left opposition comprising the Social Democrats, the Left Party, the Greens and the Centre Party is leading the polls, ahead of the centre-right coalition of Liberal Conservatives, Christian Democrats and Liberals, which cooperates with the right-wing Sweden Democrats (SD). However, both camps have been hit by new scandals shortly before the vote.
The European Central Bank (ECB) has raised its key interest rate from 2.25 to 2.5 percent. Officials said the decision was prompted by inflationary pressure caused by the conflict in the Middle East. Prices are being driven up primarily by the oil price shock resulting from the war in Iran. Commentators see little hope of the situation improving with this measure.
Around 2,000 representatives from politics, the military, business and research were invited to Paris to attend the International Space Summit on Wednesday and Thursday. The purpose was to explore ways in which Europe can catch up with the US and China, who are currently leading the space race. "Our European space programme is fragile and we must step up our efforts," French President Emmanuel Macron stressed at the opening event.
The AfD's election victory in Saxony-Anhalt, where it secured just under 44 percent of the vote, has rocked the political landscape in Germany. In other European countries, too, right-wing and right-wing extremist parties have also made significant gains in recent years and even participated in coalition governments. The election result in this German state coincides with a Europe-wide debate about the right.
Hungary's Foreign Minister Anita Orbán announced on Tuesday that ten Russian diplomats had been ordered to leave the country for engaging in activities that were "unacceptable for diplomats under the Vienna Convention". This apparently refers to espionage. Moscow has threatened "harsh and painful" retaliatory measures in response to the expulsions. Reactions in the national press are mixed.
Marine Le Pen, the likely presidential candidate for the Rassemblement National, has announced that if she wins the presidential election in spring 2027 she will introduce a ban on wearing hijabs, or Muslim headscarves, in public spaces, including streets, shops and public transport. Anyone who fails to comply will be penalised, "just like people who don't wear seat belts in their cars", Le Pen's adviser Jean-Philippe Tanguy explained. The French media are incensed.
The results of the 2025 Pisa study, for which 760,000 15-year-olds from 91 countries were tested, were published on Tuesday. The international trend pointed to a further decline in performance in reading, maths and science. In Europe, countries such as Estonia, Ireland, Poland and Switzerland did well whereas Germany's results hit an all-time low. The press looks at causes and consequences.
The UK has announced plans to ban the import of goods from illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank. This is part of a wider re-calibration in its relations with Israel, British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said on Tuesday in London. France, Canada, Denmark and other countries have also announced import bans and sanctions. Will this have an impact on the upcoming elections in Israel?
US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and with Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky in Kyiv on the weekend to discuss how to end the war between the two countries. Afterwards, Witkoff called on both sides to make compromises. Zelensky said that security and economic guarantees for Ukraine had been discussed. Moscow described the talks as "extremely frank" and "constructive".
It remains unclear what kind of government will emerge in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt after the AfD's election victory there. Commentators across Europe voice concern about the strong performance of the party's regional branch – which is officially classified as right-wing extremist – and what this means for Europe's security, the cohesion of the EU and democracy in other countries.
Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni and her government have been in office for just under four years now – longer than any other Italian government in the last 80 years. When she first took power many feared that her party, Fratelli d'Italia, and its post-fascist roots would have a negative impact on the government's work and Italy's role in Europe. Commentators take stock.