Eurotopics.net

French trade unions are launching a general strike today, Thursday, to protest plans for a pension reform. They fear the reform will translate into more old-age poverty and increase the age of retirement. Macron, who sees the reform as a centrepiece of his presidency, wants to simplify the system, abolish privileges and cut costs. He faces a huge challenge, commentators concur.

The subsidy fraud investigation against Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has been reopened after the country's Chief Prosecutor Pavel Zeman described the decision to close the previous investigation in September as illegal and premature. Not all Czech media agree with the decision.

Finland's social democratic Prime Minister Antti Rinne resigned on Tuesday after the Centre Party, which forms part of his coalition government, withdrew its support in a dispute over pay for postal service workers. Now the search for someone to replace him and take over the leadership of the coalition has begun. The media discuss what changes are to be expected.

The UN climate summit in Madrid is taking place under the slogan "time for action". A fitting statement as measures for implementing the targets of the Paris climate agreement are to begin starting 2020. Europe's press discusses the impact of a more climate-friendly economy.

The OECD on Tuesday presented the results of the Pisa student assessment study, this time with data from 79 countries. In 2018, particular focus was put on reading skills. The alarming result: 25 percent of 15-year-olds can neither understand nor relate to the ideas of even simple texts. Are they too distracted by digital media? And what role do country-specific factors play?