The poster also features a blurry stop sign and the slogan: “This time, I’m voting!”.Hundreds of posters have been plastered across the eastern French city, the official base of the European Union’s Parliament. Jean-François Lanneluc, head of communications at the Strasbourg town hall, told French media: “It’s normal that Strasbourg, a European capital, plays an important role in encouraging people to register to vote.
“The aim of the slogan is to remind voters of the importance of a strong Europe in the face of Trump’s America, which is hostile to the European project.
“Europe is a model which provides an alternative to isolationist tendencies, which Mr Trump embodies. When you look at the way he treats Europe… We take full responsibility for the poster’s message. We knew the risks, we knew it could spark a debate.”
Scores of French mayors have since asked for permission to reproduce the poster campaign, a move Mr Lanneluc has welcomed.
Framed as a battle between centrist, pro-EU parties and nationalist far-right groups that want to stop immigration and restore national sovereignty, next May’s parliamentary election is expected to shake up the bloc’s political landscape.
The ballot will determine who leads the major EU institutions, including the European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, and serve as a bellwether of sentiment among the EU’s 500 million people.
While Europe has seen a surge in support for populist, anti-immigration factions in recent national and regional elections, France’s europhile leader Emmanuel Macron has made it clear he does not want his country to go down the same path.
The centrist used an address to world leaders – including Mr Trump – gathered in Paris for Armistice commemorations earlier this month to send a stern message about the dangers of nationalism, calling it a betrayal of moral values.
Mr Macron said: “Patriotism is the exact opposite of nationalism: nationalism is a betrayal of patriotism… By pursuing our own interests first, with no regard to others’, we erase the very thing that a nation holds precious, that which gives it life and makes it great: its moral values.”
US President Mr Trump has pursued “America First” protectionist policies since entering the White House in January 2017 and proudly embraced the “nationalist” label.
He has pulled the US out of international agreements like the Paris climate accord and Iran nuclear deal, and sparked trade tensions with some of America’s closest allies in an alleged effort to protect US workers and boost the economy.