Eurotopics.net

Premier Bodo Ramelow's Left Party has won the elections to the state parliament in Thuringia. With 31 percent of the vote this is the first time that it has emerged as the strongest party in a state election. The former Left Party-SPD-Green Party coalition lost its majority, however. In second place came the right-wing populist AfD with roughly 23 percent. Commentators ask if it's time for an unconventional alliance.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader and founder of the Islamic State, is dead. President Trump announced that a special unit of the US army led an operation against al-Baghdadi on Saturday night which culminated in the terrorist leader blowing himself up with his suicide vest. Donald Trump has called the operation a big success and described it in great detail. Commentators don't share his glee.

Portugal is the world's fifth-largest producer of lithium. Its reserves in Europe's biggest mine in Guarda are among the ten largest in the world. The opening of new mines is under discussion and there are rumours that the government has already signed the relevant contracts. The plans are controversial for environmental reasons, as a look at the discussion in the country's press shows.

Russia hosted a summit and economic forum with high-level delegations from African states last week in Sochi. In his opening remarks Putin announced debt relief amounting to 20 billion dollars. Commentators suspect Moscow wants to revive the past and strengthen its presence in Africa once more. But they take a critical view of the investments this entails.