Eurotopics.net

In France, the coronavirus 7-day incidence rate lies at 252.5 cases per 100,000 people. Nevertheless, politicians are currently not planning new hard lockdowns, shops remain open, and schools are mostly back to running as normal. Instead the focus is being placed on strict mask requirements, curfews and tests, until most of the population has been vaccinated. Commentators voice their approval.

Four years ago, Estonia's government introduced free public transport in certain regions of the country, making good on one of ex-prime minister and Centre Party leader Jüri Ratas' election campaign pledges. However, a recent government survey has shown that the measure has neither increased the number of public transport users nor reduced the number of private transport users. The pandemic has further reduced demand. Has the experiment failed?

Sweden has joined the growing list of EU countries that have temporarily suspended Astrazeneca vaccinations. The European Medicines Agency is due to announce on Thursday whether its findings indicate that there is a connection between the jab and rare cases of cerebral blood clots. Europe's press is at odds over whether suspending the jabs makes sense - and points to a dilemma.

Britain is realigning its foreign and defence policy after Brexit. Prime Minister Johnson presented the new strategy, called Global Britain, in the House of Commons on Tuesday. It places increased emphasis on nuclear weapons in response to new threats and aims to expand the country's influence in the Indo-Pacific region, which it says has become the world's "geopolitical and economic centre of gravity".

After the collapse of the regional government in Murcia following a corruption scandal, centre-right coalitions are now tottering in several other Spanish regions. The Community of Madrid is now holding a snap election in which the conservative incumbent Isabel Díaz Ayuso of the PP is the favourite and if elected may form a coalition with the far-right Vox party. Commentators sound the alarm.