Eurotopics.net

In state elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the CDU has once again suffered major losses. While in the capital Die Linke (The Left Party) emerged as the strongest party, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania the AfD will now be the largest group in the state parliament. The CDU didn't even clear the five-percent hurdle necessary to hold seats there. Europe's media examine the results – and the chancellor's chances of retaining his post.

Denmark and the US have reached a deal in the Greenland dispute, with an accord due to be signed on Friday. According to the BBC, it will prohibit non-Nato countries from establishing military bases on Greenland and ban investments on the island that could pose a threat to the US. This means that the idea of the US annexing Greenland is apparently off the table. Copenhagen and Washington have both expressed their satisfaction. Rightly so?

After the Swiss Parliament's forced approval of a supplementary credit of almost 400 million euros for F-35 fighter jets ordered from the US, Carlo Sommaruga, a Social Democrat member of the Council of States, has called for the introduction of prison sentences of up to three years for government officials who tell political lies. For years, the Swiss government and administration claimed that the jets had been acquired for a fixed price.

In Portugal, several performers have cancelled their performances at a comedy festival where Jerry Seinfeld is the headliner, apparently in protest at his pro-Israeli stance. In the US, rapper Macklemore was dropped from the support line-up for Ed Sheeran's tour for making pro-Palestinian and anti-Israeli remarks on stage. The incidents have prompted a discussion about artistic freedom and freedom of expression in the Portuguese press.

Voting in Russia's parliamentary elections began on Friday morning. Over the course of three days, voters will elect the 450 members of the Duma, 39 regional parliaments and eleven governors. It is already taken for granted that the ruling United Russia party will emerge as the winner. Yabloko, the only party to openly criticise Russia's war in Ukraine, was barred from the election.