Posted on 10/29/2004 4:22:20 PM PDT by Truth666
THE European Union's heads of government last night signed Europe's first constitution, marking the start of a continent-wide, uphill battle to secure it popular acceptance among the 25 member states.
The constitutional treaty was signed in the Campidoglio, Rome's spectacular Michelangelo-designed town hall where the Treaty of Rome, which first set the EU in motion, was signed in 1957.
The centre of Rome was closed for security reasons for the first time in modern history and one of the city's airports was also closed to the public to cope with the incoming flood of dignitaries. But after the theatricals were over, the heads of government faced returning home to get the constitution ratified by June 2006 at the latest.
Some will simply put it to a vote in their parliaments, but up to 19 countries will hold a referendum. Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Britain are certain to do so.
It will be the biggest popular consultation in the continent that gave the world democracy, probably involving more than half the EU's citizens and more than half of its countries. Previously, few European governments have dared put new EU treaties to their people.
"This is a seismic shift in EU politics. The EU is on the cusp of a direct democracy revolution," wrote Daniel Keohane of the left-leaning, pro-EU Centre for European Reform.
The outcome is far from clear. With Euroscepticism at record levels in many countries, opinion polls suggest at least four countries -- Britain, Poland, the Czech Republic and Denmark -- could reject it, while in France and Ireland, opinion is sharply divided.
It would only take one country to say "no" to throw the whole project in doubt. If several countries, or a founding country such as France, said "no", it would plunge the EU into its worst crisis. The trouble is that while countries vote enthusiastically to join the EU, they then have a habit of rejecting new treaties.
The Danes voted against the Maastricht Treaty, the Irish against the Nice Treaty and Europhile France passed the Maastricht treaty by only 51 per cent.
The EU's biggest project, the euro, was adopted by 12 nations without any of them having approved it with a referendum.
Italy has announced it wants to be first to ratify the treaty.
Um, I don't get the Pillsbury Doughboy tie-in.
umm....this isn't about the "Mark of the Yeast"?
How the heck did these weirdos become world leaders. Maybe by running a financial system that has no value (paper). If you notice the dollar is losing value, along with all other fiat based paper.
One of the purposes of this cerimony was to seal the destruction of Christianity in Europe
One of the greatest comedies, ever.
Good news, President Bush only has to put up with Chiraq and Schroeder for another 19 months.
Once the EU Constitution is ratified President Bush will be dealing with his peer at the European Union in Brussels. Chiraq and Schroeder will of course be free to meet with State Governors from the United States.
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