Emmanuel Macron: all European nationalists are hidden Brexiteers

Emmanuel Macron is embracing his newfound role as Europe’s prophet of doom. In an extensive interview with the Economist published today, Manu takes aim at the usual suspects — Russia, men of fighting age who don’t want to be sent to Ukraine — but also finds room to make a comparison between European populists and Brexit supporters.

“So I say to Europeans: Wake up. Wake up!” the French President implores. “All European nationalists are hidden Brexiteers. It’s all the same lies. In the end, it’s the same results. And make no mistake. If you entrust the keys to people who think like they do, there is no reason why Europe should become a great power. No reason at all.”

Elsewhere in the Economist chat, Macron claims that “the best way of building together [in Europe] is to have as few nationalists as possible.” But hang on: what’s this? The man who would like to be known as Jupiter seems to have some nationalist impulses of his own. “The French nuclear deterrent,” he argues, “is the quintessence of the sovereignty of the French people.” Weapons as national symbols? We’re entering dangerous territory here…