Eurotopics.net

After the fall of President Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, which was long supported by Russia and Iran, it remains unclear what direction the country's foreign policy will take. While the leader of the victorious Islamists, Abu Muhammad al-Julani, has said he does not want to lead the country into another war, Israel has already launched widespread airstrikes against military installations in the south of the country. The press spotlights the various interests at play.

The regime of Bashar Assad, whose family ruled Syria for more than four decades, has been toppled in a matter of just a few days. Armed opposition groups took power in Damascus on Sunday and opened the regime's prisons. According to information from Moscow, Assad has fled to Russia. Commentators assess Syria's prospects in the new constellation.

The fall of Bashar Assad's regime has also put the question of whether and when Syrian refugees can return to their home country on the agenda. Millions of Syrians have fled it since the outbreak of the civil war in 2011. In Europe, right-wing populist parties have adopted a hostile stance towards refugees. Commentators discuss their chances of returning home.

A runoff vote for the presidency that was due to take place in Romania on Sunday was cancelled because the Constitutional Court has annulled the first round of voting which the far-right candidate Călin Georgescu won due to suspected manipulation. According to intelligence reports, there was an "aggressive Russian hybrid attack". The Romanian and European press discuss whether or not this was a wise decision.

A quarter of a century after the negotiations began, the EU and the Mercosur states of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay have reached an agreement on a free-trade zone. The deal aims to boost trade by lowering customs duties and facilitating investments. France, Italy and Poland expressed reservations until the very end. Commentators are also at odds over the merits of the project.