Spain has extended the state of emergency imposed to combat the coronavirus pandemic for two more weeks from Sunday, allowing the government to control people's movements as it gradually relaxes a national lockdown.
Parliament approved the measure today after Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who heads a fragile coalition government, mustered enough support from opposition parties to carry the vote.
Spain, where more than 25,000 people have died from Covid-19, has been under a lockdown since 14 March and the current state of emergency ends at midnight on Saturday.
Although the situation is improving, Mr Sanchez says it is necessary to maintain some restrictions on movement to keep the infection at bay.
Earlier, German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced a range of steps agreed with the country's 16 federal state leaders to ease the coronavirus lockdown, saying the first phase of the pandemic had passed, although there was still a long way to go.
"We are at a point where our goal of slowing the spread of the virus has been achieved and we have been able to protect our health system .. so it has been possible to discuss and agree on further easing measures," she told reporters.
People from two households will be allowed to meet and more shops will open, provided hygiene measures are in place, but guidelines on keeping a distance of 1.5 metres and wearing mouth and nose masks on public transport remain.
Mrs Merkel said that the Covid-19 infection number mean that the pandemic is "under control to some extent".
She also said that until 5 June, contact with people will remain limited.
Mrs Merkel said she has agreed with premiers of the 16 states to make sure local action is taken quickly to prevent individual, local, coronavirus outbreaks from spreading around the country.
"We are following a bold path," she said. "We can afford to be a bit bold but we must remain cautious," she added.
According to the World Health Organization, 7,000 people in Germany have died from the virus. The country has recorded over 164,800 confirmed Covid-19 cases.
Mrs Merkel also gave the Bundesliga - the main German football league - the go-ahead to resume from mid-May behind closed doors, on condition that strict hygiene measures are maintained to prevent contagion of the novel coronavirus.
Following the green light, the German Football League (DFL) has confirmed that matches will resume on 15 May.
It will become the first of Europe's major leagues to return to the field.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands will begin easing coronavirus lockdown measures next week nearly two months after they were imposed, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said.
The phasing out of the restrictions will be rolled out over the next four months. They could be curbed if the new coronavirus starts spreading more quickly, Mr Rutte warned.
"Steps to slowly open the economy and public life will give our country the space to look forward and make plans for the future. We will do that as quickly as possible, but it is better to be safe now than sorry later."
Face masks will be compulsory on public transport from 1 June.
Restaurants, cafes and museums can reopen with restrictions from that date, but sex clubs must stay closed until September, Mr Rutte added.
