EUROPE - French President Emmanuel Macron said yesterday the Brexit vote had shone a harsh spotlight on growing divisions in many modern democracies, but said it was impossible to compare the wave of discontent sweeping France and Britain’s decision to leave Europe. Earlier on Sunday, Mr Macron also stressed that Britain's Brexit vote showed that the European Union urgently needed reform. He said: “We must draw the consequences that show that the European Union has a fragile side, it can be improved …. It shows that our Europe needs to be rebuilt and that is the option I support and will continue to work towards.” The loss of faith in the European project and its leaders has become increasingly widespread, boosting the visibility of anti-EU leaders who have promised to unite against the bloc’s progressives in next May’s European Parliament elections.