EU IS DYING: Macron’s shocking admission European dream is nearing its demise
FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron has offered a jaw-dropping admission that the European Union dream is nearing its demise as Angela Merkel drags her feet over a series of reforms for the bloc.
Mr Macron’s plans are seemingly at odds with EU boss Jean-Claude Juncker who admit there is no future in the “United States of Europe” vision being chased by the Frenchman.
Before accepting his prize, Mr Macron wrote on Twitter: “The European dream is now gnawed by doubt.
“It’s up to us to decide whether we want to live it or let it die.”
His comments will come as a blow to Ms Merkel, who heaped praise on her French counterpart during her own speech at the prize-giving ceremony in Aachen, Germany.
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The European dream is no gnawed by doubt
She said: “With Emmanuel Macron, a dynamic young politician has entered the European stage, for whom European integration and the common currency are a clear course.”
And with Germany seemingly standing in the way of Mr Macron’s Eurozone revolution, the German Chancellor admit discussions on the topic are “difficult” between Paris and Berlin.
Ms Merkel added: “The European economic and currency union must be made more sustainable.
“We will make the eurozone more crisis-proof.”
Despite Berlin often pouring cold water on his plans, Mr Macron was adamant the bloc pushes on with his reforms.
The French President demanded leaders show more ambition in financing the bloc so it can defend its interests against the world’s superpowers.
He said: “That’s why I believe in a stronger Eurozone, more deeply integrated, with its own budget allowing for investment and convergence.”
Mr Macron’s comments will put him head-to-head with European Commission President Mr Juncker, who when speaking in the Flemish parliament revealed there is no plans for an entirely integrated European Union.
Mr Juncker assured worried voices in the Belgian regional parliament that nationalities will never vanish into a sole EU identity.
He said: “I would like for us to do things in a way we don’t give the impression to the Europeans that we are infiltrating or invading their daily lives.
“One of the reasons why the EU has lost the support of the population is that the EU and the Commission are giving the impression of taking care of everything instead of dealing with the big issues that concern people.
“I was careful to specify, some did not like it, that I was against this idea of the EU becoming the United States of Europe.
“It's not my view of things. We are Flemish, Belgian, Luxembourgish, Catalan – European.”