The storm-clouds are building above Europe
The European Commission president’s last state-of-the-union address
THE custom of the president of the European Commission delivering an annual American-style “state of the union” speech to the European Parliament dates back to 2010. It has come to serve as a barometer for the Brussels institutions, and to some degree for the continent. In 2016 Jean-Claude Juncker was gloomy, speaking in the wake of Britain’s vote to leave the EU. Last year he was cheerful, declaring that “the wind is back in Europe’s sails” following economic recovery and the election of Emmanuel Macron, a vigorous pro-European, to France’s presidency. On September 12th he gave his final State of the Union speech ahead of European Parliament elections and the appointment of a new commission next year. What did it augur?
This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “For those in peril on the sea”
From the September 15th 2018 edition
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