“The government has survived a first crisis, but the coalition is divided,” reports Hospodářské noviny. On 21 December, the Czech parliament rejected a motion of no confidence in Petr Nečas’ government, which has been weakened by the resignation of environment minister Pavel Drobil, in the wake of a corruption scandal. The daily explains that the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) led by Nečas, almost lost the support of its ally Public Affairs, which campaigned on an anti-corruption ticket. However, at the last minute the members of the three-party coalition, which also includes the TOP 09 party, agreed to a reconciliation deal brokered by Czech President Václav Klaus. The majority finally rejected the motion and “even reached agreement on the preparation of an anti-corruption strategy,” notes Hospodářské noviny.
The leader of Greece’s leftist alliance SYRIZA is the new bright hope of Greek politics. Steering a course between pragmatism and the rhetoric of class warfare, he has unsettled Berlin, and not just those who back Angela Merkel's austerity policies. 
Europe’s economic woes have forced us to try to understand the secret Olympian world of global finance. But now that we pay more attention to bond yields and stability mechanisms, isn’t it clear that the experts up on their lofty peaks don’t know what’s going on either? 
This year’s Eurovision Song Contest is hosted by Azerbaijan, a country that is far from being a model democracy. An Estonian journalist takes a critical look at the deferential treatment enjoyed by the regime in Baku.