Eurotopics.net

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, in office since 2014, has announced her resignation. Sturgeon and her Scottish National Party have faced fierce criticism recently, firstly because of the lack of progress on Scottish independence, and secondly because the country's new transgender law made it possible for a transgender rapist to be sent to a women's prison.

The EU Parliament has formally approved a law which effectively bans the registration in Europe of new cars and vans that produce greenhouse gases from 2035. There were 340 votes in favour and 279 against the move. Europe's press sees advantages and disadvantages.

In recent days, thousands of Israelis have again demonstrated and gone on strike to protest against the government's planned reform of the judiciary under which, among other things, new laws could be passed even if they are ruled unconstitutional by the courts. Parliament has been rocked by violent riots over the reform. Commentators are alarmed.

Armenian disaster relief workers are helping out in the areas hit by the earthquake in Turkey. In addition, the Armenian foreign minister, Ararat Mirzoyan, visited his Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu just a few days after the border between the two states, which had been blocked for decades, was opened for an aid convoy. Commentators see a chance to overcome the hostilities between the two countries.

According to the latest polls, the right-wing populist party Chega is gaining ground in Portugal, with up to 13 percent of the population saying they would vote for André Ventura's party. The national press debates whether the main opposition party, the liberal-conservative PSD, should clearly distance itself from the far right by establishing a "cordon sanitaire".