European newspapers' damning verdict on Theresa May conference speech
As the PM suffers unfortunate headlines at home, newspapers abroad slam the "embarrassing show of political weakness".
Thursday 5 October 2017 10:48, UK
Theresa May's calamitous conference speech has attracted ridicule in Europe.
The P45 stunt, her persistent cough and lettering falling off the conference stage behind her have left journalists abroad with plenty of damning assessments.
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We round up six of the strongest:
:: Bild
The popular German tabloid Bild headlined its piece on the speech: "For Brexit lady, everything went wrong - May's incomprehensible breakdown speech."
"She seemed unsettled and radiated anything but security and authority," the paper claimed.
:: Der Spiegel
Another well-known German newspaper called Mrs May's speech "catastrophic", but did note that she "largely ignored" comedian Simon Brodkin's prank of handing her a P45.
It downgraded the further mishap of lettering falling off the wall behind her to a "curious incident".
:: El Pais
The Spanish daily described the PM's address as "like the typical nightmare that an insecure lecturer might have the night before their most important speech".
It added that while some in the Manchester conference hall thought it humanised her, another delegate nearby whispered: "It's over."
:: La Repubblica
One of the biggest newspapers in Italy branded the speech "an embarrassing show of political weakness", and said audience members' applause was out of "compassion" rather than "enthusiasm".
It added the experience will "help humanise a leader nicknamed the May-bot" but that her image as "an extremely fragile Prime Minister" is worse than when she arrived in Manchester.
:: Liberation
French newspaper Liberation said Mrs May's speech "turned into torture" and became "a long nightmare worthy of an episode of the famous series The Thick of It".
It claimed the "catastrophic circumstances" that overshadowed her speech could offer "momentary sympathy" for Mrs May, but warned: "When pity is the dominant feeling evoked by a leader, the end is never very far."
:: Gulf News
Elsewhere in the world, Gulf News noted Mrs May "took the disturbances in her stride" and "won standing ovations" for "pressing on with the address".
It focused on the policies she unveiled - calling them "renewed traditional values" for young people and those described as 'Just about managing'.