FREE now and never miss the top politics stories again. SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow and never miss the top politics stories again. We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

EU Commission first vice-president Frans Timmermans said a “huge silent majority” across the continent was tired and frustrated with the direction Brussels is heading in in a jaw-dropping intervention. The senior eurocrat warned the entire project could “fall apart” because of its growing popularity crisis and urged European leaders to do more to emphasise its role as a peace maker.

The Dutch politician’s remarkably candid comments came in a video message directly to voters as he prepared to jet off to Rome for the bloc’s 60th birthday celebrations this weekend. Europe has been gripped by a sombre mood following Brexit and the rise of populism, with many ordinary people feeling that Brussels has become completely distant from their concerns.

Facebook Top eurocrat Frans Timmermans made the extraordinary admission

GETTY He said a 'silent majority' of Europeans do not like the EU's institutions

A number of senior EU figures have warned that the bloc could collapse, but Mr Timmermans’ remarks are nonetheless an astonishing admission of quite how unpopular it has become. They demonstrate what some critics believe has been an all too rare awareness within the Brussels machine itself of the peril that the entire European project is now in. In a video message posted to his Facebook page this morning, Mr Timmermans said: “I truly believe that this is a project which deserves to be protected and strengthened. But as we stand today this project could fail, Europe could fall apart. “And we have a huge, huge silent majority of Europeans who might not be happy with European institutions, who might not be happy with some of the policies of the European Union.”

We have a huge, huge silent majority of Europeans who might not be happy with European institutions Frans Timmermans

However, he added that despite their frustrations many voters do still “attach huge value to the EU as a place where European people come together to shape the future together”. And he said there was “no point” in senior figures like his boss, Jean-Claude Juncker, attacking populists, saying that they needed to focus on a positive message to win over that silent majority instead. He said: “What we need to do is make sure the silent majority stands up and commits to a project which has given us so much. “With all the mistakes - warts and all - it’s the biggest peace project ever in European history. And the silent majority once it is awakened on this, once it stands up for this, will create a better European future. “Take care of some of the mistakes we’ve made, solve some of the problems but stay committed to a joint European future.”

RISE of Europe's far right Tue, March 14, 2017 Who's who of far-right politics in Europe as parties ride a wave of success on anti-immigration, nationalist and eurosceptic policies Play slideshow REUTERS 1 of 8 Geert Wilders wants to 'de-Islamicise' the Netherlands, hopes clashes between Turkish-Dutch protesters and the police, along with Ankara's accusations of Dutch 'fascism', will help bolster his chances of finishing first