Eurotopics.net

Thursday marks the 50th anniversary of the fall of Portugal's Salazar dictatorship. The Carnation Revolution symbolises Portugal's path to democracy, European integration and the relinquishing of its colonies. The press reflects on the state of the country against the backdrop of the most recent parliamentary elections in which the Chega party, which is ideologically close to the Salazar regime, became the third strongest political force in the country.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is the first high-ranking German representative to travel to Turkey since Erdoğan's defeat in the country's local elections. The occasion is the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Turkish Republic and Berlin. Commentators look at why Steinmeier first visited the opposition-led city of Istanbul before travelling to Ankara to meet President Erdoğan.

Just under seven weeks before the European Parliament elections on 9 June, the polls predict a significant increase in votes for right-wing populist and far-right parties of the ID (Identity and Democracy) Group. Together with the ECR (European Conservatives and Reformists), which also includes the Fratelli d'Italia, they could win over a fifth of the seats. Commentators discuss the possible repercussions.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan received the head of the Hamas politburo, Ismail Haniyeh, in Istanbul on Saturday and spoke to him about humanitarian aid and a potential ceasefire. Was this show of closeness a blatant faux pas or clever politics?