Eurotopics.net

Joe Biden has cleared the last hurdle on the way to becoming a US presidential candidate and has now been nominated officially to run for office for the Democrats against Donald Trump on 3 November. Commentators wonder how Biden will reconcile his promise to unite the country with the differences within the party, and they also analyse Barack Obama's influence.

The Dutch Parliament has rejected pay rises for the entire care sector by a narrow margin. Voices from the government camp decided the outcome of the vote. Led by right-wing populist Geert Wilders, the opposition had proposed the pay rise to reward nursing staff for their hard work during the coronavirus crisis. Commentators voice understanding for the government's position on one side, but anger about the debate on the other.

In Mali, the military has ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta. The head of state, who faces accusations of corruption and a lack of security, announced his resignation. The spokesman for the soldiers who carried out the coup has said that new elections will be held as soon as possible. Mali's armed forces also rely on the support of troops from France, Germany and the UN, who had hoped that supporting the country's military would give them more control over Islamist forces in the north of the country.

The term "cancel culture" has become a buzzword in public debate. It refers to systematic damage to the reputation of persons who express unpopular positions, resulting in the restriction of freedom of opinion. While some commentators fear that "cancel culture" could have a devastating impact, others question whether it even exists.

The outcome after the presidential election in Belarus is still completely open: the mass protests are continuing, there are strikes in factories, but President Lukashenko has given no indication that he is willing to offer the opposition concessions, much less step down. Nonetheless many European media are already focusing on how things could develop in Belarus once his era is over.