The European Union risks being torn apart by a “civil war” between its liberal and authoritarian democracies, Emmanuel Macron, the president of France has warned.

Speaking in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Mr Macron said that the EU must “build a new European sovereignty” and embark on much needed reforms to save the bloc.

The ardent Europhile was given a standing ovation and numerous compliments by adoring MEPs during the plenary debate on the future of Europe after Brexit.

“We have a context of division and indeed doubt within Europe,” Mr Macron said. “There seems to be a sort of European civil war where selfish interests sometimes appear more important than what unites Europe.”

In a thinly-veiled swipe at Hungary and Poland, Mr Macron said Europe was in the grips of “a fascination with the illiberal”.

Brussels is at loggerheads with Warsaw over Poland’s controversial judicial reforms and there are also concerns about the rule of law in Hungary after strongman Viktor Orban’s election campaign, which was won by stoking fears over immigration.