European press review

The press praises Turkey's decision to shelve plans to ban adultery, while in France, papers look at the opposition Socialists' growing rift over Europe.

Russian commentators slam President Vladimir Putin's centralising reforms as a blast from the Soviet past, and a planned Islamic conference causes a stir in Germany.

'Influence'

Spain's El Pais says the Turkish government deserves praise for dropping a plans to criminalise adultery from a package of reforms.

The decision, the daily says, is also evidence of "the European Union's power to further the democratisation of those seeking to join it".

It adds that the EU, which is to decide in December whether to open negotiations with Turkey on its membership, should take care not to rebuff Ankara.

This... once more illustrates the growing power of civil society Le Monde

"A refusal or an ambiguous offer," the paper warns, "might bring about economic, political and social regression in Turkey."

Leading French daily Le Monde agrees the Turkish government's decision is proof of the EU's strong influence, but adds that it also shows how things are changing in Turkey itself.

"This... once more illustrates the growing power of civil society, especially of feminist organizations who sounded the alarm to prevent such an article becoming law".

Calling the decision "progress", Germany's Der Tagesspiegel also warns that the Turkish government's plan to ban adultery should not be counted as an argument against the country's EU membership bid.

"But by focusing the debate on the adultery law," it says, "the measure of what is currently happening in the country has been lost."

In fact, the daily adds, "most other changes are evidence of Turkey moving closer to EU standards".

Meanwhile, Vienna's Der Standard lashes out at Austria's cross-party consensus opposing Turkish EU membership, which the paper blames on populism.

This, it says, "gives the impression of a of shabby search for political dividends, which can so easily be earned by exploiting popular sentiments".

"This kind of thinking or acting is not very European," the paper adds, "but in view of the forthcoming elections, this is not a problem for any of the parties."

'Anxiety'

Europe is at the centre of a growing row within France's opposition Socialist Party, after its deputy leader Laurent Fabius last week said he would vote No in next year's referendum on the new European constitution.

Le Figaro detects a "a clear state of anxiety among the party's leadership", which it says has rallied behind Socialist leader Francois Hollande in the Yes camp.

The paper quotes a Fabius supporter as saying that Mr Hollande is planning to exploit people's "fear" that the Fabius camp, added to the votes of several smaller parties, might scupper French approval of the constitution.

One paper, Le Nouvel Observateur sides with Mr Fabius, urging his detractors to take a good look at the constitution's text.

"Why such a long and dense document?", the paper asks. "A constitution is supposed to sum up the basic principles of life in democracy."

"The Ten Commandments have had a huge influence," it adds. "Would the impact have been the same had they been 'The 1326 Commandments'?"

The paper adds that Mr Fabius's objections "make sense" because the EU document "concerns itself with matters that are not a constitution's business", and "limits future choices".

'Suicidal'

Russian papers continue to rail against plans to strengthen central government at the expense of the regions, announced by President Vladimir Putin on Monday as a reaction to the Beslan school hostage-taking.

A commentator in Novaya Gazeta describes Mr Putin's speech to parliament as "morally blasphemous, legally illiterate and politically destructive".

Putin longingly recalled the 'ideology' which made the harsh suppression of separatism in the USSR possible Vedomosti

The writer accuses Mr Putin of making a "suicidal" attempt to turn the multinational Russian Federation into a unitary state, repeating the mistakes of the Soviet Union.

"Many, if not all, Putin's legislative innovations... indicate that, psychologically, he is entirely there, in the golden age of the USSR," the commentator fumes.

An editorial in business daily Vedomosti also accuses Mr Putin of trying to revive aspects of Soviet ideology, in particular the ideal of the uniform "Soviet Man".

"In his Beslan speech, Putin longingly recalled the 'ideology' which made the harsh suppression of separatism in the USSR possible," the paper says. "Now he is trying to inject Russia with the ideal of a Federation Man.

"The Kremlin's logic," it adds, "is clear. The only thing that is not clear is whether the proposed measures will help to defeat the 'germs' of terrorism or separatism."

'Prejudices'

In Germany, there are fears that an Islamic conference scheduled for the beginning of October in Berlin may involve extremists.

According to Die Welt, the country's Interior Minister, Otto Schily, has described the so-called "conference of Islamists" as a security threat and vowed to stop it taking place.

The Berliner Zeitung, however, believes the debate about the event has become "emotionally charged" by the use of the term "Islamist conference".

The paper argues that Islamic conferences are not necessarily and exclusively attended by Islamists, and that, even they were, an Islamist is not automatically a terrorist.

"Politicians," it chides, "would have done better to introduce these distinctions into the debate instead of fostering prejudices."

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