Posted on 03/18/2005 7:01:36 AM PST by Alex Marko
For the first time a poll has shown that a majority of French people are likely to vote against the European Constitution.
The new poll, conducted this week by the CSA Institute, has found that 51 per cent of those questioned are planning to vote against the Constitution and 49 per cent will vote ‘yes’, reports today's Le Parisien.
According to this poll, as much as 53 per cent of French voters are likely to abstain during the referendum, taking place on 29 May.
"If the ‘no’ prevails, France will be in for a political cataclysm", Jacques Delors, the former Commission President warned last night, according to the Times.
The difficult situation in France has also caused tensions between French President Jacques Chirac and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso.
Mr Barroso has accused French politicians of spreading euroscepticism ahead of the referendum.
"I have to tell you frankly that I am sometimes amazed by the French debate, with all due respect to French democracy. The debate is to a certain extent biased and skewed", said the president of the Commission yesterday (17 March), according to the FT.
His accusations, however, came after Mr Chirac has repeatedly said that the EU's proposed services directive - aimed at opening the market in services - is unacceptable and needs to be completely re-examined.
EU constitution in France
PING
If France votes "No," the EU will recede from the world stage.
Ah, the EU Constitution must not have declared France as the Lord and Ruler of Europe.
The Froggies will actually enjoy speaking German. It's the best language there is for being rude.
So9
Mein Kommander, our glorious efforts to usher in a new era of glory for ze Faterland ist in trouble. Was kan vee do?
Deutschland Ueber Alles! Ze shpaniards are alle in line, vee musst educate ze franzoeschish once again. Vee haf vays of making zem vote...
Yeah, I have seen this story. It's very interesting. Contrary to what probably some freepers believe, the brunt of the opposition against the constitution is made up of the left, including the communists.
There is some fear in France also that the new constitution will give them far less power than they have at the moment.
It would be quite something to have the French reject the constitution, but remember, they were also quite close to rejecting Maastricht which heralded the introduction of the common market in the early 90's. It was only passed with a 52 percent majority, or something like that.
As a Norwegian, I find it a bit interesting to follow this even though we are not a member of the EU at all so far. Yet, the EU membership debate is heating up in Norway, and at least our "Conservative party" wants Norway to apply for EU membership within the next five years. In Norway all the major parties are for EU membership (don't confuse this with the constitution. We are NOT members of the EU). Also, all major newspapers, trade unions etc etc. have been working for a Norwegian membership. Still the people have kept voting no when the referendum has come up.
I just hope that we will vote no, if the question come up again. I guess, I should say when....
I am actually nominally pro-European, but I want the EU to stay a trade block and leave it at that.
With a possible Turkey membership, Norway would never say no. It almost makes me want Turkey to join, but I have so much sympathy for my European friends, that I want to keep Turkey out. Here is one of the issues where I think President Bush is wrong and should keep out of business that isn't his.
Cheers.
You mean "never say yes"or have the Norwegians become totally islamized?
; )
I have to blame the Swedes for that blooper.
Absolut is great though :-)
Have a great weekend.
Cheers.
...and we would all be so, so sad. /sarcasm
It is true that the French almost scuppered the Maastricht treaty - and if that had happened we wouldn't be in the present mess.
It could have been a no if there hadn´t been such large yes majorities on the islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. So Europe's future was decided by West Indians. There's an ironic twist of the tale.
The Turkish debate is the big thing obviously. Turkey is without question the most Westernized Muslim country and is trying to do more. For that it should be commended. But in the rural areas things are still pretty backwards and Islam is more dominant. But you have to respect that the European people are against Turkey joining (rightfully so). Hopefully some sort of face saving compromise that does not insult Turkey can be made, for free trade but not free immigration. Turkey is on the right path but they're not there yet. Then there is the potential for problems spreading outward from Iraq, Iran, and Syria. It is ironic that the Europeans oppposed the war and could now use that as an excuse to say no to Turkey. Any excuse is OK as far as I'm concerned.
Hey Scaniaboy,
I have been wondering...
Norway currently pays 300 million US dollars yearly to the EU as a part of the "EØS" treaty. This is money that is mostly I think supposed to go to the poorer EU countries such as Poland, Portugal etc. This is basically Norway's yearly "entry fee" for the common market.
Do you know how much Sweden as a EU member has to pay?
Cheers.
Heck, if Norway and Switzerland can stay out of the EU, so can Turkey.
A country in which Mein Kampf is a best seller is not what I would call a healthy society.
Look, I know a few Turks and they are generally good people (One of them is married to my cousin). Certainly in average much more enlightened than the Somalians or even the Pakistanis which are two immigrant groups we have quite a few of in Norway.
Yet, they elected Erdogan. Whatever he is at the moment, he certainly used to be a certified islamist nutball... Am I confident he has all of a sudden seen the light? No.
Turkey recently tried to outlaw adultery, beat a bunch of women silly at an 8 March rally, and the press has gone into rabid anti-Americanism.
Who knows? Perhaps the latter is a misguided attempt to win favour with France :-)
But, seriously, I would ask this question to President Bush and to any Freeper that supports Turkish EU membership: Would you let Turkey become an American State?
Cheers.
You forget . . . we have Massachoooooooooookistan and Californication as U.S. states. Turkey would be a moderate compared to those two.
That's something I never knew. Those islands aren't really considered a part of France, are they? I'd assume they would be catagorized as protectorates. I mean Guam and Puerto Rico never got to vote for President Bush!
But hopefully they will choose "No." Not only will it be better for Europeans, in my opinion, but better for America. Everyone will see what happened with the EU and that will generate a healty dose of NAFTA-FTAA skepticism.
"Would you let Turkey become an American State?"
Compared to Vermont, it would be a battleground state!
Do not think for a second that the French government will not orchestrate fraud on a massive scale in order to get a "Yes." It may come down to the wire.
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