Eurotopics.net

Sharp drops in the number of infections thanks to a successful vaccination campaign have made it possible: after three months in lockdown, shops, gyms, hairdressers, zoos and outdoor dining facilities reopened in England on Monday. While people there are taking full advantage of the new freedoms, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are taking a more cautious approach. What will England's easing of restrictions bring?

A group of experts from the University of Nijmegen has sharply criticised the Dutch asylum system. In its report, which was commissioned by the state, it concludes that people have been falsely portrayed as fraudsters and lost their residence permits as a result. It also says that the legislation of recent years has increasingly weakened the position of asylum seekers. Commentators call for solutions.

Three Covid-19 patients who were being treated in a container installed outside a hospital in Bucharest have died, presumably due to a malfunction of the oxygen supply systems to which they were connected. The containers were purchased in April last year to take some of the strain off overcrowded hospitals. Commentators say the incident is just the tip of the iceberg.

Joe Biden's Covid relief bill measures will cost 1.9 trillion dollars, and now another two trillion dollar economic stimulus package is to follow, including schemes for increased welfare benefits, climate protection and the renovation of dilapidated infrastructures. Biden aims to finance the plan with the country's first major tax hike in 30 years, with above all the rich and businesses having to pay more.

The CDU presidium on Monday backed party leader Armin Laschet as the Christian Democrats' candidate for chancellor in this year's general election. In Bavaria the CSU presidium did the same with its chairman Markus Söder. The latter is now pushing for the two parties' joint decision on the candidate to take account of the polls - in which he is ahead. Europe's press sheds light on the implications of the decision with a view to the September elections.