Eurotopics.net

Greek Defence Minister Panos Kammenos has resigned in protest at the agreement reached in the name dispute with neighbouring Macedonia. Because Kammenos is also the leader of the junior coalition partner Anel, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has announced a vote of confidence in a bid to stay in office until the parliamentary elections in the autumn. The parliament is to decide the fate of the name dispute agreement by the end of January.

Sweden's parties have spent four months seeking a governing majority that excludes the Sweden Democrats. Now the Liberals and the Centre Party have agreed to support a minority government composed of Social Democrats and the Greens under Stefan Löfven. But the votes of the Left Party would still be needed for a parliamentary majority. Will it play along?

On Tuesday Britain's House of Commons will vote on the Brexit agreement reached between the EU and the British government. With defeat looming, Prime Minister May has warned that if the parliament doesn't pass the deal a stop to Brexit is more likely than a no-deal Brexit. Commentators ask how outsiders can come to the PM's aid.

Commentators have long been predicting that the European elections in May will be decisive for Europe's future - not least because the right-wing populists are forming alliances and the hard-right US strategist Steve Bannon has joined the fray with his organisation The Movement. The media is now reporting that other forces will try to make their mark in 2019.