Eurotopics.net

Three days before the British general election the Tories are clearly ahead in the polls, despite inner-party turmoil over Prime Minister Johnson's Brexit policy. Columnists take stock of the factors hampering Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

Sanna Marin is to become Finland's new prime minister - the youngest in the country's history at 34 years of age. Marin, who is currently minister of transport and communications, was picked as the candidate for the post by her Social Democrats party and is now expected to be voted into office by parliament. What changes will the new prime minister bring?

In France, over 800,000 people protested on Thursday in a general strike against the planned pension reform - the biggest protest since Macron became president. The reform aims to simplify the current system, which comprises over 40 different pension groups, and to raise the retirement age in certain sectors. What do the protests mean for Macron and his political future?

Poland's Supreme Court has ruled that the newly created Disciplinary Chamber, which is tasked with evaluating judges and prosecutors and if necessary dismissing them, is unlawful. Its members are appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary, which is in turn elected by Parliament. As a result, the body is not sufficiently independent from the government, according to the ruling. What are the consequences?

The Czech Republic's Chief Prosecutor Pavel Zeman has reopened the investigation fraud investigation against Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš which was closed in September. But the country's president has offered Babiš a pardon, and the prime minister also has good connections in the judiciary. Commentators discuss whether Pavel Zeman's initiative is doomed to fail.