European press review

Today's review tackles the US president's visit to Britain, anti-Semitism, Serbia's failed election, Gerhard Schroeder's party conference speech and tennis player Roger Federer's win of the Masters Cup.

Bush comes to Britain

As US President George W. Bush begins his visit to the UK today, Sweden's Dagens Nyheter says he faces "a mixed reception".

"There is hardly any doubt that he will be well received by his host."

It adds that British Prime Minister Tony Blair "has stood by Bush's side during the Iraq war - support for which he has come to suffer in foreign affairs".

"Out on the streets the reception for the US president will not be quite as warm", the paper says.

It is "obvious", it goes on, "that the US under Bush has fallen out with public opinion - and to some extent governments - in Europe."

Anti-Semitism in France and Germany

France's Le Monde praises President Jacques Chirac for calling a ministerial meeting to face up to anti-Semitism after an arson attack on a Jewish school.

The rise of intolerance - against Jews as much as against Muslims - makes the fight against anti-Semitism an urgent obligation Le Monde

"Condemnation, vigilance, solidarity: the strength of the presidential reaction is salutary," it says.

It describes French Judaism as confronted by the rise of a kind of anti-Semitism that is, as the paper puts it, "all the more pernicious for having become ordinary".

"The rise of intolerance - against Jews as much as against Muslims - makes the fight against anti-Semitism an urgent obligation," the paper exhorts.

Norway's Aftenposten, meanwhile, comments on the row over German parliamentarian Martin Hohmann's expulsion from Germany's opposition Christian Democrats over anti-Semitic remarks.

"When a member of the German Forbundsdag begins making verbal leaps which appeal to latent anti-Semitism there is reason to react," the paper says.

"It therefore clarifies the situation and is reassuring that the CDU's group voted to exclude Hohmann, who refused to withdraw his comments."

Istanbul attacks

Sweden's Aftonbladet says Saturday's attacks on two synagogues in Istanbul "move the chaos the Middle East now finds itself in over to Europe".

"An historic symbol for the good relations between Islam and other cultures, not least Judaism, was also attacked," the paper says.

It adds that the targets "reflect the confused world of ideas which characterise the most extreme Islamists".

"The conflict with Israel is interpreted as a clash of cultures, an interpretation which is boosted by anti-Muslim sentiments in the West and Israel," it says.

"For international terrorists, who see their fight as a global showdown between Islam and its opponents, this image fits like hand in glove," the paper concludes.

Serbia's failed elections

Germany's Der Tagesspiegel warns that Serbia is headed for isolation after the failure of Sunday's presidential election.

"What Serbia now needs above all, in addition to strong financial help from the West, is maximum moral support from all democrats in the country."

Austria's Der Standard says the outcome of parliamentary elections in December will determine whether Serbia will move "forwards towards Europe" or "backwards into isolation".

Hungary's Nepszabadsag says that if voters "cannot even be bothered to choose a head of state for themselves" then they "either had a very good time under [former President Slobodan] Milosevic, or democracy is not good enough for them."

Schroeder's conference speech

The German press is divided in its assessment of Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's speech yesterday at the Social Democratic Party conference in Bochum.

The Sueddeutsche Zeitung says his performance was relatively well-received by delegates at the conference.

"With his speech Schroeder failed to meet the highest expectations," the paper says, "but his thoughtful, explanatory and rhetorically modest speech may have been better for his party than a showy performance."

There is no doubt that Gerhard Schroeder failed to convince opponents in his own party Berliner Zeitung

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, on the other hand, is not convinced that the chancellor managed to win over the rank and file.

It concedes that the party conference is likely to approve Mr Schroeder's "Agenda 2010" reform project.

The Berliner Zeitung arrives at a mixed assessment of the chancellor's performance.

"There is no doubt that Gerhard Schroeder failed to convince opponents in his own party," the paper says.

It believes that most delegates liked his vision of Germany in 2010 with a flourishing economy, full employment and equal opportunities.

Austria's Die Presse says the chancellor did little more than his duty.

Praise for Swiss tennis star

Geneva's Tribune De Geneve pays tribute to Switzerland's Roger Federer after the tennis player won the Masters Cup and ended the season ranked second in the world.

It looks back to what it calls "an exceptional year", which the winner of this year's Wimbledon tournament ended "just 32 points" behind US Open Champion Andy Roddick in the ATP rankings.

"Within four years, Roger has become more mature," it says.

"Other countries are envious of us," the paper adds in an editorial, pointing out that after Martina Hingis the country has produced another tennis ace.

The European press review is compiled by BBC Monitoring from internet editions of the main European newspapers and some early printed editions.