Eurotopics.net

The Turkish parliament has brought forward the decision on whether to launch a military offensive in Libya to today, Thursday. Erdoğan says the goal of the mission is to aid the Sarraj government, which is recognised by the UN. The step puts him at loggerheads with Russia, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which support General Haftar and whose troops are marching on Tripoli. What does the escalation portend?

Greece, Cyprus and Israel want to sign an agreement on the construction of the Eastmed gas pipeline today, Thursday. The 2,000-kilometre pipeline is to transport Israeli gas to Italy and Europe via Cyprus, Crete and the Greek mainland. The deal targets not just economic but also political objectives, commentators explain.

The Spanish parliament is expected to elect caretaker head of government Pedro Sánchez as prime minister on 5 January. To secure the votes they need from their coalition partner Unidas Podemos and the abstention of the Basque regionalists and Catalan separatists, the Socialists have presented clearly leftist measures including a rent cap. The press is sceptical about the developments.

The "2010s" will end together with 2019. European media take the opportunity to look back on a decade marked by crises and upheaval. Commentators take stock of how the world has faced up to these challenges.

Another summer of record temperatures, devastating forest fires, floods: in 2019 focus on the climate once again increased. The Fridays for Future protests spread across the globe. The new EU Commission is making climate protection a top priority. Commentators discuss whether the direction has really changed.