May's European parliament elections are presented as a faceoff between two camps: liberal Europhiles versus illiberal Eurosceptics: Emmanuel Macron versus Matteo Salvini. Or it is the "false prophets" versus the "European patriots". Alas, this is a misleading account. Establishment figures such as Macron have lost their credibility even with centrist citizens. To rally voters, they rely on the threat that nationalists such as Salvini represent. Equally, strongmen such as the Italian deputy prime minister desperately need a hapless European establishment to fashion themselves as worthy rebels.
The only way to break this repugnant loop-wrecking Europe is a credible New Deal for Europeans - an antidote to the depressing belief that the only alternative to this EU is its breakup.

Also, see Yanis's Breughel institute Stream from this afternoon (havent't had time to look yet)

_{It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II}