[MadIvan]

They may have voted no for the wrong reasons, but at least it was the right decision. It's a beautiful morning in Europe - the French political establishment has been severely bloodied.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Ping!

[xJones]

Oh, Ivan, and people have said that U.S. voters are stupid about their reasons for casting their ballots.

[Psycho_Bunny]

She voted No out of a feeling that "Europe is pulling us all downwards, as far as working conditions and social security is concerned".

Ya.  It's all "Europe's" fault.

[Spktyr]

sniff sniff... Hm, is that a Sixth Republic I smell?

[Cacique]

Despite their no vote it is too late to save Europe. Europe is dead, it will be islamist in 50 years one way or another unless there is a massive conflagration and they expell the millions of muslims in their midst that are reproducing at an alarming rate. European women will not increase their fertility rate, this vote notwithstanding. What Europeans fail to realise is that womb is the real weapon of mass destruction. When you have five sons, you can afford to lose one or two as suicide bombers.

Our great challenge will be to destroy Europe before all that nuclear hardware and arms making capacity falls into the hands of the islamists. The 21st century does not look very apppealing at the moment.

[Paleo Conservative]

"The text recognizes the rights of women and homosexuals, and I liked that - that nearly made me vote Yes," she said.

The right vote for the wrong reasons.

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Chirac, like Schroeder, got by largely on anti-Americanism, but in the end it couldn't save him as even the French realized that he wasn't dealing with their real problems.

[Treader]

lol...Good Golly, Miss Molly, Goood Golly Miss Mollly- don't ya hearr ya mamaa calllll...

[GSlob]

"It's a beautiful morning in Europe - the French political establishment has been severely bloodied."
But even if the French somehow manage to completely sweep away their current establishment [without guillotining, hopefully] - would the next establishment they'd replace it with be any better?
Do not forget: "no matter whose a**hole fills the chair, the chair is always filled by an a**hole".

[Wiz]

The French lost its EU constitution, and Lebanon won its democracy. What a GREAT day! We are viewing a mile stone in history!

[Sooth2222]

"But what made me vote No was, above all, the fact that it gives powers to Europe on social policy. And as the majority of European countries are liberal [in favour of a free-market], that means that France could be led towards policies we don't like."

They actually have to define "liberal" as free market and not as a euphemism for "protectionist" and "socialist"....

Nope, they don't want to vote "yes" and they don't want to vote "no". They want to keep their 10 weeks of vacation and retirement at 50 and they want China and the Asian Tigers to just go away.

If you like French wine, stock up now, because when the Muslims fundamentalists take over France, it'll be illegal! Culturally, old Europe is a "dead man walking".

[Riptides]

"I voted Yes with conviction, because for me the Union makes us strong, it helps us stand up to the United States...."

Wishful thinking you ungrateful frog.

[NZerFromHK]

The European Union in its current form will not survive for long. It may continue to exist, but will become as useless as the United Nations. And France and a couple of die-hard Euro-federalist nations will then form a new federation in place of the EU.

Ping!

[Gritty]

Talk about a confused electorate!

[GVnana]

Looks like Chirac has his arse between two chairs!

[Mr. Silverback]

The EU boosters came to the most prideful population in Europe and said, "How'd you like to stop being "La Belle France" and start being "a large concentration of French-speaking people occupying a certain part of Europe?" No wonder it went down like a rock in water.

[sam_paine]

So I voted Yes, but with reservations."
-and-
"I voted Yes with conviction,....

LOL! Heard from the Indians in Boston Harbor ... "I didn't throw any tea into the water, but I certainly stomped my feet very loudly on the pier to redress my greivances! "

[headsonpikes]

The French 'Non' strikes me as similar to the rejection of the Meech Lake Accord by Canadians, left and right, each for a different reason, with only lackeys of the Establishment voting 'Yes'.

Nothing is to be made of it particularly, except that it confirms the alienation of the led from the leaders, hardly a unique circumstance, especially for Frenchmen.

God save the Queen, and confusion to her enemies!