Eurotopics.net

The Social Democratic Party has won the second round of voting in the Lithuanian parliamentary elections, claiming 52 seats in the Seimas, well ahead of the incumbent ruling party TS-LKD (conservative, 28 seats). The Social Democrats now plan to form a three-way coalition with Vardan Lietuvos (centre-left/green) and a yet-to-be-determined third partner. The nationalist-populist Nemuno aušra came in third. How did this result come about and what will happen next?

Representatives of the nine members of the Brics group and other states interested in membership will convene at a summit in the Russian city of Kazan until Thursday. The group stated goal is to create a multipolar world order. Europe's press debates whether Brics can be seen as a counterweight to the "global West" and what UN Secretary General Guterres' participation in the meeting in Kazan could mean.

The British House of Commons is debating a bill that would facilitate assisted dying. Under the draft law, terminally ill adults with six months or less to live who express the wish to die would be able to receive medical assistance once this has been confirmed by two doctors and a court. The parliamentary groups did not instruct MPs on how to vote, but Keir Starmer's Labour government supports the initiative. A similar bill was rejected by Parliament in 2015.

The citizens of the Republic of Moldova have voted by a knife-edge majority of 50.4 percent in favour of writing EU accession into the constitution as an irrevocable goal. The first round of the presidential election, which took place simultaneously, failed to produce a decisive result. Incumbent president Maia Sandu - who claims there is evidence that pro-Russian forces bought votes - faces a run-off vote. Europe's press takes a closer look.