21/12 – Today headlines from across the EU

EUROPEAN HEADLINES

FT Europe – Tsipras calls on IMF to stay out of third Greek bailout. Athens ‘puzzled by attitude of fund’; eurozone seen as fit to oversee reform.

WSJE – Vote roils Spain’s leader. Ruling party appears to win most votes but not enough to form a government on its own.

INYT – Support for African gays, at high cost. US campaign makes some homosexuals more visible, and vulnerable.

BBC Europe – Fifa: Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini get lengthy bans. Sepp Blatter and Uefa boss Michel Platini have been suspended for eight years from all football-related activities following an ethics investigation.

FRANCE

Le Monde – UN takes decisive decision on Syria. For the first time after four years of war, the Security Council has agreed on how to end the crisis in Syria.

Les Echos – Oil: what falling prices change for France. North Sea Brent’s price fell below 37 dollars a barrel. If this situation continues, these low prices will give a new boost to purchasing power and growth in France.

GERMANY

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) – High losses for traditional parties in Spain. Podemos gets more than 20% of the vote. Forming a government expected to be difficult.

Suedeutsche Zeitung (SZ) – Refugee policy divides the coalition. Foreign Affairs Minister Steinmeier wants to resolve disputes with Eastern EU member states if necessary in court, whereas Chancellery Minister Altmaier relies on the insight of European partners.

ITALY

La Repubblica – Spain: ruling People’s party wins elections, with no majority. Mariano Rajoy’s People’s Party wins the elections with 28.7% of the votes, but has no majority in Parliament. Podemos party obtains 20.7% of the votes and ranks third.

Il Sole 24 Ore – Bolzano: most livable city in Italy. Bolzano has once again topped the rankings of best city to live in Italy.

POLAND

Gazette Wyborcza – Citizens claim the right to speak out. Civic rights organisations appeal to the Sejm Speaker and Members of Parliament for a public hearing of their opinions on the amendment of the Constitutional Court Act.

SPAIN

El Pais – The PP’s loss of the majority opens up space for political alliances. Mariano Rajoy: “I will try to form a steady government”. Pedro Sánchez: “Spain wants left and change”. Pablo Iglesias: “Spain has voted for a change of the system that cannot be delayed”.

Expansion – Political instability. A very fragmented congress without majority to rule.

The Times – Cameron in cabinet battle over migrants. May and Duncan smith oppose deal with Brussels.

The Guardian – Pressure on Hunt over NHS deaths. Data shows just one in seven deaths of vulnerable patients investigated.