European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will deliver a speech at a space summit in Paris on Thursday, in which she will try to convince French people, who are disillusioned with the European Union, of the benefits of the union. All this is happening against the backdrop of a sharp increase in Eurosceptic sentiment in the country and the upcoming presidential election, writes Politico.
“A situation of “red alert” level has been created. I have never seen France so negatively disposed towards the EU as it is now,” the European official told the newspaper.
According to her, the main “scarecrows” for the French are currently “Brussels and migrants.” At the same time, Politico notes that von der Leyen’s speech may not have the pan-European impact that Brussels is hoping for.
The EU president will speak at the International Space Summit hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Grand Palais in Paris. According to Politico, the main point of von der Leyen's message will be that it is thanks to the European Union that European countries are able to implement large-scale projects and compete with other world powers.
Officially, the EC announced that von der Leyen will present the EU's priorities in the space sector. Brussels intends to emphasize the role of space in ensuring Europe's competitiveness, security and stability.
Politico notes that the political backdrop for Brussels in France remains extremely unfavorable. Right-wing leader Marine Le Pen leads the polls ahead of next year's presidential election, while Eurosceptic Jean-Luc Mélenchon has a real chance of advancing to the second round. A possible victory for Le Pen, the newspaper estimates, could have serious consequences for the future of the EU.
