Eurotopics.net

A political stalemate is emerging in Bulgaria after Sunday's parliamentary elections. Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's liberal-conservative Gerb party secured the largest share of the vote with 26 percent, but it is clear that with its current coalition partners it won't secure a majority. At the same time other alliances seem barely feasible due to major differences. The press looks to Italy for solutions.

France has gone into lockdown for a third time despite assurances that it wouldn't, and Germany is also discussing tightening the measures again to contain the virus. Portugal, on the other hand, is hoping for a little more freedom after a tough two months. Europe's commentators describe how the pandemic continues to test people's patience and nerves.

Ten years after the last European census in 2011, parallel censuses were to be conducted again this year in all EU member states. Due to the pandemic, however, some states have postponed their census to 2022, while in others it will take place as planned. One of them is the Czech Republic, where voluntary declaration of nationality is being discussed.

Ship traffic has come to a standstill on the Suez Canal, where the 400-meter-long container ship Ever Given has been stuck since Tuesday, with its bow dug into the canal bank. More than 200 ships are now waiting to the north and south of the site, but according to recovery teams it could be weeks before the waterway - which is a vital route for the international shipping industry - is navigable again. Once again, the world is being confronted with its own vulnerability, commentators note.

The Covid crisis has increased poverty, unemployment and social inequality across Europe and in the rest of the world. Young people, the culture and hospitality sectors and tourism are the worst affected, as well as groups that were already structurally disadvantaged before the pandemic. Commentators paint a bleak picture and call for urgent and effective action.