Eurotopics.net

At the start of her presidential campaign Marine Le Pen has spoken out in favour of leaving the EU and putting strict limits on immigration. Polls show the candidate of the far right Front National still in the lead in the polls, with 25 percent. The escalating scandal surrounding conservative candidate François Fillon has also put wind in her sails. What is making Le Pen so popular?

The Romanian government has withdrawn its controversial decree decriminalising certain corruption offences. At the same time Prime Minister Grindeanu announced that a new bill with similar content would be presented to parliament. Despite the government's climbdown hundreds of thousands across Romania demonstrated against corruption on Sunday. The press also takes the view that the Romanians can no longer trust their government.

Air pollution levels have reached record levels in several Central and Eastern European countries during this bitterly cold winter. Smog alerts have been issued several times in Budapest, Warsaw, Sofia and other European cities in recent weeks. Poverty is inducing people to use anything they can get their hands on for heating, journalists explain, and criticise the politicians for failing to take effective action.

A federal judge has overturned Trump's entry ban for citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries. Trump criticised the decision by the "so-called judge" as "ridiculous". A legal challenge filed by the Department of Justice with a US appeals court has failed, meaning that the ban will remain blocked. Journalists voice relief that the courts have put Trump in his place.

The EU wants to limit migration from Northern Africa by intensifying cooperation with Libya. Stepped-up controls of the Libyan coastline are to dissuade refugees from crossing the Mediterranean and encourage them to remain at reception centres in the country, the heads of state and government resolved at their meeting in Malta. An agreement with an unstable state will achieve nothing, commentators stress, and see Moscow taking a leading role.