I recently read an excellent analysis of the growing phenomenon of Euro-scepticism. Cécile Leconte’s Understanding Euroscepticism is a book all pro-Europeans should read and ponder. I invited her to lunch today to talk through some aspects of that analysis. The concluding section of her book provides some reflections on ‘meta-narratives’ that have until recently underpinned the integration process: peace and prosperity, common values, the avoidance of the extremes of fascism and communism, the great ideal of Franco-German reconciliation after three murderous wars, and Europe as a socio-economic model. One of the problems she identifies is that the power and the resonance of these meta-narratives is fading. Ironically, as the European model becomes more attractive abroad, it is becoming less attractive at home. I think a good deal of the integration process’s credibility will be re-asserted once Europe’s economies climb out of the current crisis, but that can’t be the whole answer.