European press review

Thursday's press shows little enthusiasm for Russian President Vladimir Putin's state of the nation address on Wednesday.

Some papers doubt whether the election of ex-Communist Giorgio Napolitano as Italy's president will herald a calmer period in the country's politics.

And in the French press, the controversy surrounding the government rumbles on.

'Putin is Putin'

Germany's Frankfurter Rundschau feels that Mr Putin's speech was more like that of a chief executive presenting a report on "Russia Ltd" than of the president of a country which still regards itself as a major power.

It questions whether Mr Putin's remarks on the economy and the shrinking population were an adequate message for Russia today.

"A surge in racist crimes is sweeping the country, and this really requires the president to offer a thorough, decisive and analytical answer pointing to solutions," the paper says.

It adds that villages are declining and social inequalities are growing.

Everything Mr Putin is doing in favour of a strong state, probably in good faith, is in fact working against this strong state Austria's Der Standard

"A democrat would talk about all this," it says, but "Putin is Putin".

Austria's Der Standard says while Mr Putin was right to denounce corruption, he does not seem to realise that his attempt to create a "controlled democracy" has exacerbated the problem.

"Everything he is doing in favour of a strong state, probably in good faith, is in fact working against this strong state," it says.

In this situation it is only natural for the people to "mistrust a state which mistrusts its citizens."

Romania's Curierul National believes that Putin is bent on reinstating his country as a major player on the international stage.

"He explained to the State Duma and his guests that Russia had to be treated by the West as an equal partner," the paper says.

"Supported by spiralling gas and oil prices, he practically wanted to give Russia, which holds the G8 presidency, the grandeur it once had on the international scene."

In Russia, the daily Izvestiya carries the headline "Now let's talk about the important things - love, women, children."

The article praises Mr Putin for singling out the "family project" as a top priority for the country.

And it says that in this "most Putin of all the Putin addresses", the president has sought to outline plans that will shore up Russia's "place in the world".

The daily Gazeta is less impressed by the president's address.

"Mr Putin does not know any other way of solving the problems facing Russia other than by strengthening the state," it says.

And it takes issue with Mr Putin's recommendation that Russia should spend more on its army.

"In the past Russia was building military communism; Vladimir Putin is now building military capitalism," it says.

Italian 'coup'

Germany's Berliner Zeitung describes yesterday's election of a former Communist as Italy's president as a historic "coup".

The paper observes that Giorgio Napolitano is the first "post-Communist" to be elected to this post.

"To those familiar with the bizarre rules of Italian political life and its even more bizarre characters, this was a small masterpiece," it says.

The paper predicts that criticism of the new president will soon become taboo as Italians warm to him.

But outgoing Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi "will have a go anyway", it says, because of "his despair at Prodi's coup".

More chaotic elections, overshadowed by fierce head-on attacks, will henceforth be business as usual in Italy Austria's Die Presse

Austria's Die Presse says there is no reason for incoming Prime Minister Romano Prodi to rejoice.

The paper argues that the "laborious" election showed how "poisoned and polarised" the political mood in Italy still is.

"More chaotic elections, overshadowed by fierce head-on attacks, will henceforth be business as usual in Italy," it says.

Slovenia's Dnevnik writes that the new Italian president, known for his meticulousness, will probably take a little longer than usual to reach important decisions.

"No-one doubts that Napolitano, who despite his Crocean education is still attracted by Anglo-Saxon culture and respect for institutions, will be a good Italian president," the paper says.

"The only thing is that due to his hair-splitting precision he will probably need more time than necessary to reach decisions."

Chirac's woes

What should have been a great moment for French President Jacques Chirac - the country's first Slavery Remembrance Day - is lampooned on the front page of the daily Le Monde.

A cartoon depicts a naked Mr Chirac chained to an equally naked Dominique de Villepin. Gazing on them is Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, dressed as a pantomime sultan.

Mr Sarkozy says: "I'd love to buy these slaves but I don't have accounts in Luxembourg or Japan."

The reference is to the false allegations that Mr Sarkozy kept accounts at the Luxembourg bank Clearstream, and that Mr Chirac had a secret account in a Japanese bank - claims he has vigorously denied.

"The drama goes on" says left-leaning French daily Liberation.

The paper recalls the many crises that have dogged President Chirac's time in office and points to a new emerging factor - that of the increasing calls for an election.

"A few weeks ago these were almost inaudible, now they are becoming consistent," the paper says.

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