Eurotopics.net

The inflation rate in the Eurozone climbed to 4.1 percent in October. Critics accuse the ECB of fueling this trend with its loose monetary policy, which involves pumping billions into money markets through bond purchases. ECB chief Christine Lagarde has now responded by calling for patience, saying that inflation will decline without intervention by the central bank.

Germany's first "traffic light" governing coalition comprising the SPD, the Greens and the FDP has unveiled its coalition agreement. The future German cabinet is also taking shape. The media discuss what Europe can expect from the country’s social democratic Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Green Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, and above all its liberal FDP Finance Minister Christian Lindner.

For the second time Switzerland has let its population vote on coronavirus measures - the only country in the world to do so. Around 62 percent voted in favour of retaining the Covid-19 certificate and hence the 3G policy [vaccinated, tested, recovered] for visits to restaurants, public buildings and events. The vote should give opponents of the measures food for thought, the nation's press believes.

A Turkish court on Friday extended the imprisonment of philantrophist Osman Kavala, who has already been in prison for four years. The European Court of Human Rights has long been calling for his release. Turkey now faces expulsion from the Council of Europe, with proceedings set to begin next week.

Twenty-seven people, including several children, drowned trying to cross the English Channel to the UK on Wednesday, most of them refugees from Iraq and Iran. This is the largest single loss of life in the English Channel since the UN migration agency IOM started recording data in 2014. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the incident shocking and promised even tougher action against smugglers. Commentators are adamant that this is not enough.