Eurotopics.net

A parliamentary vote on the liberalisation of Belgium's abortion law was once again postponed on Thursday. The bill would allow abortions after the third month of pregnancy. A decision as important as this should be taken under a stable government, some argue. Others say these are undemocratic delaying tactics.

Open Beach, an open-air beach bar that received permission from Vilnius' municipal authorities to set up on the city's historic Lukiškės Square, has caused an outcry not just in the national press. Sun loungers now adorn the site where supporters of an uprising against the czarist regime were hanged in the 19th century, and where the KGB later resided. A new law classifying the site as a historical monument could now put an end to the summer fun.

During the protests against the security law in Hong Kong on Wednesday police reportedly arrested more than 180 people. On Tuesday China had passed the controversial law which gives the authorities sweeping powers to take action against the opposition in the territory. The media in Europe analyse the consequences of China's repressive policy and demand action.

After almost all the votes have been counted in Russia's controversial constitutional referendum on 1 July, 78 percent have voted in favour of the amendments and 21 percent against them. What does this result portend for Russia and Europe - and does it have any meaning at all considering the circumstances in which the vote took place?

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic many observers have said that the crisis is exposing and sometimes even exacerbating social inequalities. Now these voices are being joined by criticism of how certain governments have dealt with the pandemic. Commentators argue that for instance Stockholm and Ankara have left certain sections of their society in the lurch.

The Israeli government is currently considering controversial plans to annex areas in the occupied West Bank. US President Donald Trump gave the green light for the move at the beginning of the year with his peace plan. Soon after, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the annexation would begin in the summer. His government's coalition agreement sets July 1 as the date.