Euro Press Review
Also making headlines: More fuel for anti-Macron protests and Spain’s phantom threat to the Brexit deal.
United Kingdom
British media sensed a change in Theresa May’s fortunes — at least for now.
— The BBC website said both the EU and U.K. were making a “Brexit scramble” to finalize a deal before Sunday’s special summit, with Prime Minister Theresa May heading to Brussels to meet with Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Wednesday.
— The Times said voters were “rallying behind May,” after she face a “sustained coup attempt for almost a week.” The Guardian said she had been “bolstered” by the failure of the revolt but now “the race is on” to secure a Brexit deal with the EU.
— Research in the Guardian showed the growing rise of populist parties across Europe.
— The Telegraph said more British troops would be deployed to Ukraine to defend “freedom and democracy.”
Germany
German media watched yet more drama unfolding in the White House.
— Tagesschau focused on news that Ivanka Trump used her personal email for White House business. The website said the situation was “delicate” for President Donald Trump after his criticism of his rival Hillary Clinton over her email scandal.
— Der Spiegel said there was “chaos” in Baden-Württemberg’s SPD after the resignation of party leader Leni Breymaier.
— In an op-ed in Die Zeit, Jakob Simmank said “Brexit can make you ill,” citing research that showed the Brexit vote had an adverse effect on U.K. citizens’ mental health. “Do we care too little about the health consequences of political campaigns?” he asked.
France
French media focused on a particularly difficult patch for President Emmanuel Macron.
— FranceInfo reported on Macron’s refusal to change course after the so-called Yellow Jacket movement blockaded roads in France to protest a fuel tax rise. “We are a country that rears up because we don’t like change imposed on us,” Macron had said.
— Le Parisien reported that the Paris prosecutor had opened an investigation into the provenance of €144,000 of donations to Macron’s La République en Marche in 2017.
— Ouest France led with the Yellow Jacket protests, which the paper described as “a thorn in the government’s side” that is “threatening” Macron’s presidency.
— Libération said Trump had reaffirmed his alliance with the Saudi Kingdom, despite the murder of Jamal Khashoggi in October.
Spain
Papers in Spain focused on tussles with the EU, some big, others perhaps exaggerated.
— El País said Brussels was not fully satisfied with the Spanish budget, and will tell the government it “puts fiscal stability at risk.”
— El Mundo said the EU was playing down Spain’s threat about voting down the Brexit deal over Gibraltar. “There is no change of plan and nobody thinks the summit or the approval of the agreement is at risk,” the paper said.
— Less than two weeks before an election in Andalusia, RTVE said the PSOE’s incumbent Susan Díaz was aiming for a majority, after it took her over 80 days to form government after the last elections in 2015. “It’s a campaign where no one wants to marry anyone,” the state broadcaster said.