Peter Craven, who hosts TV panel debates on German broadcaster DW, ripped into Martin Schulz, the leader of the Social Democrats (SPD), for his plan to create a federal European state.
Martin Schulz revealed in December that he wants to push for ever-closer European integration and turn the EU into a ‘United States of Europe’ by 2025.
Mr Schulz is in the midst of fragile coalition talks with Angela Merkel, as the pair attempt to forge a new ‘grand coalition’ to govern Germany.
Mr Schulz, a former head of the European Parliament, said a pre-condition for such talks was “an about-face in European policy”.
Alexander Dobrindt, a top lawmaker for the German Christian Social Union, called the SPD leader a “Europe radical”.
DW anchor Craven said that Schulz’s pursuit of European federalism was out of touch with the ordinary European voter.
In a shocking attack, he said: “Do people of Europe want this grand plan, a federal European state in 8 years?
“A United States of Europe – who else wants that? Around Europe, the member-countries and ordinary European voters, do they want this vision that Schulz boasts of?”
Derek Scally, of the Irish Times, agreed: “Schulz is very in favour of Macron’s reforms – while Merkel is sceptical of that.”
Scally said the prospect of a grand coalition, co-led by Mr Schulz, threatens to cause major ruptures across EU member states.
The Social Democrats leader’s drive for integrating the Brussels-led bloc could lead to confrontations with the more sceptical of member-states, like Poland and Hungary.
In December, when he laid out his ambitions EU plans, Mr Schlz said: “Those who are against the new EU constitutional treat will simply leave the EU.”