A screen capture of the television debate between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her Social Democrat Martin Schultz | Omer Messinger/Getty Images euro press review Can Social Democrats tolerate 4 more years with Merkel? Also on Europe’s front pages: Hammond and May show a united front, Macron’s new reforms and Catalonia’s bitcoin referendum.

Germany

Much of the German press focused on the news the country's Social Democrats (SPD) are now ready to consider another "grand coalition" with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives after her exploratory coalition talks with the liberal Free Democrats and Greens collapsed. TAZ led with: "Can the SPD tolerate this?" over a series of photographs of Merkel delivering New Year's speeches since coming to power in 2005. Next to the picture, TAZ offered reasons for "yes" and "no." Der Tagesspiegel reported on the delays in the construction of Berlin Brandenburg Airport. It also featured coverage of an internal power-struggle within the Christian Social Union, Merkel's Bavarian sister party. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung featured a cartoon on its front page, asking "Quo vadis, Germany?" — a Latin phrase meaning "Where are you going?" It also ran a story on the SPD wavering on a new grand coalition, as well as coverage of the Berlin airport delays.

UK

The Guardian led with "U.K. facing 'lost two decades of wage growth,'" referring to a report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank, which predicted the country is heading into a prolonged period of austerity and non-existent wage growth due to Brexit. It's other front page story: "Ryanair warns crew over scratch card sales." The Financial Times reported relations between Prime Minister Theresa May and Chancellor Philip Hammond appeared to have warmed since his budget was released Wednesday, with the two showing "a united front" Thursday. The Daily Telegraph focused on May's "bid to break Brexit impasse," noting the PM would present Brussels with an improved divorce bill offer Friday.

Belgium

French-speaking Le Soir led with coverage of a fire at a waffle factory in Brussels. Le Soir also reported on allergens, which the paper wrote sufferers don't sufficiently understand. Dutch-speaking newspaper De Standaard reported on the European Commission criticizing Belgium's "creative accounting."

France

Le Figaro led with coverage of President Emmanuel Macron's planned local tax reforms with the headline: "Macron promises a great reform ... in 2020." Le Figaro picked up comments made by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who said "Europe can no longer make decisions behind closed doors." Le Monde also reported on Macron's reform plans

but led with a story on investigations of sexual harassment in the country.

Spain

"The government used bitcoins to hide referendum expenses," El Mundo wrote. El Pais reported on sexual harassment, saying it was the "scourge that hit the world."