Eurotopics.net

The formation of a new government looks set to be a complicated process after the Israeli election on Tuesday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc is slightly ahead of the opposition alliance led by Gadi Eisenkot, former chief of staff of the Israel Defence Forces, but with around two-thirds of the votes counted neither camp appears to have secured the required majority of 61 seats. The provisional final result is expected on Thursday.

A ceasefire has come into force in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in southern Ukraine, to allow humanitarian aid to be delivered and the remaining civilian population to be evacuated. Residents of the city are starving because they have had little access to food, water or other supplies for a long time due to landmines and drone attacks. Melania Trump played a key role in securing the truce.

The president of the Hellenic Basketball Federation, Vangelis Liolios, has been arrested on suspicion of bribery and match-fixing. Arrest warrants have also been issued for several referees. Liolios has stepped down from his post but denies the allegations. Around 50 matches are under investigation, with the alleged irregularities dating back to 2016. The Greek press discusses the scandal.

The conservative Partido Popular (PP) and the far-right Vox have agreed to present joint lists of candidates in a bid to secure a right-wing majority in the upper house of the Spanish parliament, the Senate, in the run-up to the general election. Under the deal, Vox will refrain from fielding its own candidates in 14 provinces and instead place an independent candidate on each of the PP's lists. In exchange, the PP will stand aside in three constituencies.

In a bid to prevent further violence and looting after the widespread unrest on the weekend, curfews have been imposed in certain areas of major cities across France. Meanwhile, the Yellow Vests movement has announced new demonstrations for Saturday in protest at the high cost of living. As the 2027 presidential election draws closer, the media discuss the political and economic consequences of the unrest.