Eurotopics.net

Croatians will go to the polls again on Sunday. The coalition between the conservative HDZ and the new Most party collapsed after a no-confidence vote toppled the independent prime minister Tihomir Orešković in June. Commentators see the country as deeply divided and fear that once again there will be no clear election winner.

The citizens of Hungary will vote in a referendum on October 2 on whether to accept mandatory quotas for the distribution of refugees among EU member states. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán rejects the quota system approved by Brussels. The outcome of this referendum could spell the end for the EU, commentators fear.

Three weeks before presidential elections in Austria Czech President Miloš Zeman will meet with Norbert Hofer, the candidate of the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ). Commentators voice surprise at this new friendship between the two opponents of immigration.

The Irish Minister of Finance Michael Noonan has likened Apple to a "seed potato" that brings Ireland jobs and growth. The European Commission, on the other hand, sees the company as a tax dodger that is tricking Dublin out of tax revenues. Commentators condemn Brussels' decision to make Apple pay 13 billion euros to Ireland in back taxes, but also urge the Irish government not to burn its bridges to the EU.

The Alternative for Germany has come second in elections to the state legislature in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Commentators discuss to what extent the other parties are to blame for the rise of this national conservative party and whether its advance can be halted before the German elections next autumn.