En France, j'ai eu l'occasion de dire à l'un de mes ministres que le Parlement européen, c'était extrêmement important, que l'Europe, c'est extrêmement important.
In France, I had occasion to say to one of my ministers that the European Parliament was extremely important, that Europe is extremely important.
C'était extrêmement douloureux, mais il y avait le sentiment de comprendre une certaine évolution, considérée à tort ou à raison comme nécessaire, et donc on se sentait déclassé mais d'une histoire dont on comprenait à peu près le sens.
It was extremely painful, but there was the feeling of understanding that a change was taking place, which rightly or wrongly was seen as necessary, so people felt abandoned but understood more or less why it had happened.