Posted on 05/29/2005 8:04:31 PM PDT by Pikamax
Europe stunned
Leader Monday May 30, 2005
Guardian
France's emphatic rejection of the EU constitutional treaty is a stunning blow at a time when the continent faces grave economic problems and political challenges. Much comment in recent weeks has suggested that a no vote, while embarrassing, could be shrugged off, since the treaty of Nice will allow the union to carry on functioning.
But that misses the point that the constitution was agreed unanimously by 25 member states representing 455 million people from Helsinki to the Azores and from Nicosia to Warsaw. It represents a considerable investment of political capital and is a carefully-crafted compromise between different visions of the union, streamlining its functioning and boosting its clout in a world dominated by an unassailably powerful US. Despite the dire warnings of eurosceptics, it sets limits on integration. Its defeat - by 55% - 45% according to initial official figures - is very bad news for those who want a more coherent Europe punching at its weight. The value of the euro dipped on foreign exchanges last week in response to signs that the nos were holding their lead. Americans, Chinese and Indians, vying for advantage in an interdependent world, will be able to get their way more easily if Europeans are in disarray.
Rejection by France makes the blow doubly painful. It is true that the reasons for the no victory seem to be less about the treaty itself than the country's crisis over its place in an enlarged Europe, the failure of its political class and a reluctance to confront the challenges of globalisation. But the vote marks an alarming retreat from its historic role as a keen European and motor of integration.
Deference to the Dutch referendum on Wednesday meant that official responses to last night's extraordinary result were muted. But it is already clear that there is no point in pretending that the process of ratification should go ahead as if nothing had happened. It is regrettable that France's no means there will be no need for a referendum in this country to clarify, perhaps once and for all, what Britons want from their relationship with the rest of Europe. If there is no constitution to ratify, there is no need for a UK vote. Demands by eurosceptics anxious to provoke a terminal crisis should be firmly resisted.
France's no is highly damaging to the credibility and popularity of the EU, already in very poor shape as shown by the record low turnout in the European elections last summer. But much more than credibility is at stake. The immediate effect of this crisis is that it is hard to imagine that Turkey will be able to begin its membership talks in October, since anti-Turkish feeling was a key issue of the French and Dutch no campaigns. Prospects for agreement on the EU budget for 2007-2003 will also recede. It had been hoped that this could be settled before Tony Blair takes over the presidency on July 1. With Germany facing new elections in the autumn that mammoth task will have to be put off until next year, dangerously close to the deadline.
Much will be said in the coming days about salutary wake-up calls, heard when Denmark and Sweden rejected euro membership and Ireland the Nice treaty. But there will be nothing salutary about this failure if governments retreat from Europe into navel-gazing and narrow national agendas. If Britain carries on demanding its money back in the row over the budget it is far from inconceivable that others will demand their sovereignty back, or resist the call to dismantle protective trade barriers.
The idea of an integrationist Franco-German core emerging from the rubble seems fanciful: what do the two biggest and most underperforming economies in the eurozone have to offer by way of leadership? It will take time for the dust to settle. But even when it has, it is far from certain that the way ahead will be clear.
Those fat parasite pigs in Brussels don't get to lay down their elitist law to all of Europe - yet. It's definitely a set-back for now for the bureaucratic elites.
I have no idea. I liked all those currencies they used to have, and trying to figure out "Now how much is this worth in REAL money?";)
no..it should read "Europe Stupid"
There's no "If" about it. Europeans are in disarry, and the reason is a Decadence, championed by Leftists, that has infected Europe like the Black Plague and threatens to be far more devastating and catastrophic if not checked. Europe survived the waves of Plague. It will not survive Leftist Decadence if Europeans do not wake up in time to save themselves from it.
hehehe
I think Buffet would probably like to take a trip to Margaritaville;)
This article alludes to that, although I read a little blurb in a European article last week that explained why the average Frog didn't like this constitution (isn't it odd that so many European fish-wraps fussed about the Frog 'non' vote and what it meant to the EU rather than why the Frogs didn't like the constitution?). Anyway, it seems that the Frogs like their social bennies--job security, 2,3,4 months of vacation a year, pensions, etc. This new constitution threatened the womb-to-tomb blankie that the Frogs have come to rely on and that's why they said, 'non'.
And the reason the EU bureaucrats want to kill their citizen's beloved nurse maid? They want to be able to compete in the "global market", i.e. beat the US at its own game. They know that they can't compete with any other nation as long as their citizens have gold-plated social programs.
Sacre bleu!
You expected zem to be a part of somesing in weesh zey canno call ze shots?
It eez odd, however, zat zair actions don't hurt zee USA.
You're pardoned. :-)
One time in history France doesn't surrender and they are mad at them?...
It's impossible to get facts, reality, truth, honesty, elephants, 757s, locomotives, etc, passed that news crew.
The Indians are going to beat up Europe now without a Constitution?
Uh-Oh.
Better ask his bestest bud, Soros, as well. LOL
Fun couple of days for FR.
Not entirely true.......Soros lost a BUNDLE, last summer, when oil prices went down. :-)
Anyway, it weakens Chirac greatly. With Schroeder going down this fall and Chirac on the way out, it looks like Bush will outlast both of them.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.