European Commission president Juncker looks beyond Brexit as he shapes legacy
Jean-Claude Juncker strikes an optimistic tone as he sets out his vision for the future of the European Union without the UK.
Wednesday 13 September 2017 20:48, UK
He didn't use the B word until the end but by the time Jean-Claude Juncker mentioned Brexit everyone had got the message.
The EU would survive without the UK.
Relegating talk of our exit was part of the choreography of a speech designed not only to give a morale boost to the other 27 EU members but also - although this was not openly acknowledged - to begin to shape Juncker's legacy as Commission president.
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A year ago he had stood in the same Strasbourg chamber and talked of an "existential crisis" for the EU (the 2016 state of the union speech was delivered in the weeks after the UK referendum).
This time the thrust was more optimistic; evocative language about the wind being back in the EU's sails was there from the start.
And it is true that that the economy of the bloc has been steadily improving, with unemployment falling in many parts.
Juncker was keen to stress progress on tackling the migrant crisis which has overshadowed much of his presidency, using the word "efficient" to describe inter-nation cooperation on the issue.
But Juncker, who talked of his "love" of the European project, is a pragmatist and wasn't going to pretend things are entirely rosy in EU land.
Reform was the thread of his delivery to the assembled MEPs. Adapt and survive.
He laid out plans to change EU institutions and streamline personnel - suggestions included merging his job of Commission president with that of Council president.
Sounds sensible? Well, not to everyone listening.
Many think it would concentrate too much power in the hands of one individual. Countries like Poland and Hungary have long been pushing to reign in the power of the Brussels' executive.
And that serves as a reminder that for Juncker, who is now in the latter stage of his presidency, and for the bloc as a whole, the challenges go way beyond one country leaving.
We talk of the UK versus the 27 but there are differences of opinion within what will be the remaining members after Brexit.
The newly elected French President and the expected soon-to-be re-elected German Chancellor share much more of what some call "a religious belief" in even greater EU integration that many other members.
Juncker is a true believer but he must now navigate a path of changes which will not only satisfy the political class in all the member states but the electorate who have already seen one nation decide to throw the towel in on the EU.
The vision Juncker set out in this year's state of the union is designed to guarantee the union's longevity.
He doesn't want to be remembered only as the president in post when a nation exited - and he certainly wouldn't want to be remembered for being in post when others followed.