Eurotopics.net

Before being suspended last night by Prime Minister Boris Johnson the British parliament once again rejected his motion for a general election, meaning that there won't be a vote until the end of October at the earliest. Johnson remains adamant that the UK will leave the EU on 31 October but the House of Commons also passed a law banning a no-deal Brexit. Observers draw very different conclusions about the showdown taking place in the UK.

Four and a half months after its parliamentary elections Spain still has no government. Pedro Sánchez, the leader of the Socialists (PSOE) who won the election, needs the votes of the alternative left-wing party Podemos to be elected as prime minister. But Podemos is demanding ministerial posts in return for its support, while Sánchez refuses to form a coalition with the party. With the prospect of new elections looming once more, commentators discuss why Sánchez doesn't want the alliance.

The ZDF docudrama "Hours of Decision: Angela Merkel and the Refugees" has met with mixed reactions both in Germany and in Hungary. The film deals with the run-up to Angela Merkel's decision on 4 September 2015 to allow the refugees who had made it into Hungary to enter Germany.

Moscow and Kiev exchanged 35 prisoners from each side on Saturday. Among others Russia released director Oleg Senzov, who made headlines with a hunger strike, as well as seamen taken into custody last autumn over the Kertsch incident. Ukraine handed over the pro-Russian separatist Volodymyr Tsemach, who is said to have played a key role in the downing of MH17. Which side can chalk up the exchange as a big success?