Eurotopics.net

Spain has a problem with its demographics: since 2015 the number of deaths has exceeded the number of births - and the gap is growing from year to year. In the first six months of 2018 the birth rate sank to its lowest level since recording began in 1941, the country's National Statistics Institute reported. Spain's press finds this trend worrying and calls for measures to reverse it.

The blogging platform Tumblr has announced it is banning images of sex, women's nipples and genitals as of December 17. The reason: the site was apparently used to spread child pornography. With this move Tumblr is adopting a set of regulations as strict as those of Facebook. Some commentators show understanding for the company's decision. Others say it jeopardises freedom.

The Eurogroup finance ministers have agreed on a reform of the monetary union. The ESM bailout fund is to be boosted in a bid to make the euro more crisis-proof. Macron's reform proposals, including the setting up of a Eurozone budget, are to be discussed further. Some commentators are disappointed at the minimal consensus. Others are glad that things are not moving too fast.

After a crisis meeting between President Macron and his government the tax hike on fuel is off the table for the time being. Prime Minister Philippe said on Tuesday that the "unity of the fatherland" must not be endangered. The yellow vests have nevertheless announced that they will once again take to the streets this weekend. What impact will the government's concessions have?

Only a few hours before the start of the Brexit debate in the British House of Commons the government suffered a first setback when parliament voted that the legal advice on the deal with the EU which it had wanted to keep secret must be made public. This does not bode well for the coming debate, commentators fear.