Snow and ice wreak havoc across Europe, causing deadly accidents and travel chaos

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Snow, ice and freezing temperatures hit parts of Europe on Tuesday, causing treacherous traffic conditions that left at least five people dead in France and forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights from one of the continent’s busiest airports.

Authorities in the Landes region of southwestern France reported three dead in accidents, and at least two more people were reportedly killed in the Île-de-France region around Paris, where authorities ordered trucks off the road as snowfall caused huge traffic jams on Monday.

Paris awoke Tuesday to a blanket of snow on its famous rooftops and sites, and children whose schools couldn’t hold classes delighted in an unexpected day off. Air travelers were less happy, as heavy snowfall forced the closure of six airports in the north and west of France.

As snow fell across the Netherlands, Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport reported that some 600 flights were grounded during the day as crews worked to clear runways and de-ice planes waiting to depart. More snow was forecast for the rest of the week.

Dutch airline KLM warned travelers stranded at Schiphol that scammers posing as customer service staff were targeting passengers and incorrect phone numbers for the airline were circulating online. It warned people “to be alert to these phishing attempts. Do not respond to such messages, and do not share any personal or payment information.”

KLM also said it was running short of the glycol fluid it uses combined with hot water to de-ice planes before they take off. It said airports across Europe were facing similar problems after days of freezing temperatures.

Just getting to and from the airport outside the Dutch capital was a struggle with frozen points and an early morning software glitch throwing the Netherlands' rail system into turmoil.

Limited rail services resumed later in the morning but routes around Amsterdam remained largely closed because of the icy conditions, national railway company NS said on its website. It urged commuters to “only travel if it’s absolutely necessary.”

Commuters forced to drive to work also faced time-consuming journeys as a combination of the snow and ice snarled traffic on some highways.

Thijs Rademakers, an 18-year-old student, decided to ride his bike rather than wait for public transport.

“It was tough, very slippery,” he said in the eastern city of Arnhem. “Many people fall. Luckily, I didn’t.”

In Rome, weeks of rain that have swollen the Tiber River over its banks again muted Pope Leo XIV’s Christmas-time celebrations. St. Peter’s Square was only partially full Tuesday as a few thousand people crowded under colorful umbrellas to hear Leo deliver his Epiphany blessing from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Rome has been soaked by steady rains since before Christmas, and Mayor Roberto Gualtieri issued an ordinance for Tuesday limiting public access to parks and other areas at risk for falling trees and flooding.

Farther north, snow dusted Bologna and gave skiers in the Dolomites reason to cheer, though freezing temperatures are forecast for much of the north and central part of the peninsula over the coming days.

A cold snap sent the temperature in northern parts of Britain down to minus 12.5 degrees Celsius (9.5 Fahrenheit) overnight, as snow disrupted rail, road and air travel and closed hundreds of schools.

Horse races and soccer matches have been called off because of snow and frost, while a power failure caused by ice closed Glasgow’s subway.

Up to 15 centimeters (6 inches) of snow was forecast Tuesday for northern Scotland, where some people have already been snowed in by previous falls. Northeast Scotland lawmaker Andrew Bowie said the situation was “critical,” calling for soldiers to be sent in to clear snow and get food and medical supplies to stranded people.

Both heavy snow and heavy rain swept through Balkan countries, swelling rivers and creating problems in traffic and disruptions in power and water supplies. A woman died in Bosnia’s capital Sarajevo on Monday after a snow-covered tree branch fell on her head. In neighboring Serbia, some western municipalities introduced emergency measures due to bad weather.

Authorities in Serbia warned drivers to be very careful as many set off toward skiing resorts or elsewhere for Orthodox Christmas on Wednesday and the upcoming weekend. Black ice stopped cars and forced drivers to park on the side on their way to Mount Bjelasnica above Sarajevo on Tuesday morning.

Heavy wind and stormy seas battered the Adriatic coastline in Croatia and Montenegro. Video footage showed the sea sweeping through holiday cottages at Ada Bojana in southern Montenegro during a storm.

Associated Press writers across Europe contributed to this report.

Bamburgh Castle surrounded by snow in Bamburgh, England, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)

Cars drive around a curve in a snow covered forest of the Taunus region near Frankfurt, Germany, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Snow-covered cars are parked in a street in Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (Zoltan Balogh/MTI via AP)

Windmill De Vlieger stands in a snowy field in the town of Voorburg on the outskirts of The Hague, Netherlands, as snow and ice covers the country on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Mike Corder)

Republican Guards walk in the snow covered courtyard of the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)

Freshly fallen snow lies on the roofs of houses in Kronberg near Frankfurt, Germany, early Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Slovenia’s parliament on Friday appointed right-wing populist politician Janez Jansa as the new prime minister, in a shift for the small European Union country that was previously run by a liberal government.

Lawmakers backed Jansa in a 51-36 vote in the 90-member assembly. The new prime minister will need to come back to Parliament within the next 15 days for another vote to confirm his future Cabinet.

Jansa's appointment concludes a postelection stalemate in Slovenia after a parliamentary ballot two months ago ended practically in a tie. Former liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob's Freedom Movement won by a thin margin but he was unable to muster a parliamentary majority.

Jansa and his populist Slovenian Democratic Party signed a coalition agreement this week with several right-wing groups. The new government also has the backing of a nonestablishment Truth party that first emerged as an anti-vaccination movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new term in office will be the fourth for the veteran Slovenian politician. Jansa, 67, is an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump and was a close ally of former populist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was defeated in a landslide election last month.

Jansa in a speech listed the economy, fight against corruption and red tape, and decentralization as key goals of the future government. He has promised to lower taxes for the rich and support private education and healthcare.

Critical of the previous government's alleged “inefficiency," Jansa said the new government will turn Slovenia into “a country of opportunity, prosperity and justice, where each responsible citizen will feel safe and accepted."

Like Orban, Jansa was staunchly anti-immigrant during the huge migration wave to Europe in 2015. Also like Orban, Jansa has faced accusations of clamping down on democratic institutions and press freedoms during a previous term in 2020-2022. This led to protests at the time, and scrutiny from the European Union.

Golob in his speech described Jansa as “the greatest threat to Slovenia’s sovereignty and democracy."

Alleging that Jansa had threatened to arrest him, Golob said Jansa's "idea of democracy is that anyone who dares speak a word against you deserves only the worst.”

Jansa, a supporter of Israel, also has been a stern critic of the Golob government's 2024 recognition of a Palestinian state.

The vote on March 22 was marred by allegations of foreign influence and corruption. The around 2 million people in the Alpine nation are deeply divided between liberals and conservatives.

Janez Jansa, center, addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa arrives for a session of the Slovenian Parliament in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)