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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Emmanuel Macron shows off the gloriously restored Notre Dame
Five years after it was gutted by fire, the cathedral is more beautiful than ever
Ursula von der Leyen has a new doctrine for handling the hard right
The boss of the European Commission embarks on a second term
Marine Le Pen spooks the bond markets
She threatens to bring down the French government, but also faces a possible ban from politics
The maths of Europe’s military black hole
It needs to spend to defend, but voters may balk
Ukraine’s warriors brace for a Kremlin surge in the south
Vladimir Putin’s war machine is pushing harder and crushing Ukrainian morale
Vladimir Putin fires a new missile to amplify his nuclear threats
The attack on Ukraine is part of a new era of missile warfare