Eurotopics.net

Roughly 8,000 citizens demonstrated against the housing shortage in Rotterdam on Sunday. Protests over the lack of affordable housing have already taken place in other cities across the country. Commentators point out that measures beyond government proposals to build new housing will be needed to tackle the problem effectively.

Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde visited Israel this week - the first official visit to the country by a Swedish top diplomat in over ten years. In 2014, Sweden was one of the first European countries to recognise Palestine as a state, after which Israel withdrew its ambassador. The press welcomes the thaw in relations.

The two sides in the dispute over the rule of law in Poland met in Strasbourg yesterday. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen threatened to block the Covid recovery aid requested by Warsaw until the country rescinds its contested judicial reforms. Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki accused the EU of blackmail and exceeding its powers. What comes next?

Russia is suspending its diplomatic mission to the Nato headquarters in Brussels until further notice. According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the military alliance's offices in Moscow will also be closed on 1 November. The Kremlin cited the Alliance's decision to withdraw accreditation from Russian diplomats on suspicion of espionage as the reason for the move. Europe's press voices concern.

Ten years after the former terrorist organisation Eta ended its armed struggle for an independent and socialist Basque Country, representatives of left-wing Basque parties expressed sympathy with the victims on Monday. Over five decades, Eta killed more than 850 people, including members of the military, politicians and policemen, as well as journalists and civilians. The press takes stock.