Comment by apples_oranges

I think originally the EU was conceived as a peace project and it succeeded so far in that. Some do not like how it evolves, some want the benefits of the market but not the rules that come with it. Ok, but at least nowadays the EU is promising more than just the market, for instance democratic standards, health regulation, social cohesion, addressing climate change.

I think it's not fair to pick the one thing that appeals to some group and say, this was their mission and they've lost track of what they exist for. I do not think this was ever the case and certainly isn't the case now.