Eurotopics.net

How could Europe come so close to splitting up over the question of how to deal with immigrants? Commentators examine the reasons, looking to the past but also analysing potential solutions.

The exuberant mood during the World Cup tournament and the unexpected victories of the Russian team have left many Russians in a state of euphoria. Those who oppose the government have been plunged into a moral dilemma over the question of whether Russia's football fever automatically turns them into Putin fans.

After two girls who had been declared missing were found dead - apparently after having been sexually abused - Turkish society is up in arms. The daily Cumhuriyet reported that over the last ten years the number of abuse cases has increased sevenfold compared to the previous decade. Turkish media discuss preventive measures and punishment for offenders.

Thousands demonstrated in Warsaw on Tuesday after additional components of Poland's controversial judicial reform came into force. The reform includes the forced retirement of 27 of the country's 73 Supreme Court judges. The EU launched an action against Poland in January 2016 and introduced a new infringement proceeding at the start of the week. Will the PiS government push the measure through despite the resistance?

German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) and Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) have buried the hatchet in their row over asylum: "Transit centres" are to be set up on the German-Austrian border to prevent asylum seekers already registered in other countries from entering Germany and send them back to the responsible country. Europe's press sees the crisis as having done grave harm despite ending in an agreement.