Posted on 05/30/2005 4:33:20 PM PDT by F14 Pilot
JACK Straw's face said it all. The Foreign Secretary had expected France to reject the European Union constitution - but its "Non" was fundamental. This was not just a rebuttal of the treaty, but of Britain's vision of Europe.
The scenes of celebration chilled British policymakers. The economic reform that the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has been preaching to Europe for years was being denounced in the streets as "ultra-liberalism" and capitalism run wild.
Some of the No celebrations looked like the 1968 student protests: red flags were being flown to hail a victory of workers and students. This is not something that the Prime Minister will be able to negotiate his way out of.
Mr Straw understood this all too clearly. France does not want Britain's low regulation, its flexible markets or its open competition. It blames such policies for its 10 per cent unemployment: it does not want more.
The No was from young people, who are tilting French politics in a left-wing direction. There is a rich mix with anti-globalisation. The phrase "Anglo-Saxon" - the common insult to attack the treaty - usually translates as British-American.
So the French No was not just to the constitution but also to what they regard as an alien anti-protectionist free trade culture.
Jacques Chirac himself ended up borrowing the No campaign's language, declaring that "neo-liberalism is the new communism". By this, Mr Chirac means the sort of market economics that has made America the world's strongest country, rescued Britain from 40 years of decline and brought prosperity from New Zealand to Singapore.
To Britain, it is uncontroversial. But to to the French, neo-liberalism is the force that threatens to bring Turks to France to steal local jobs. It means cheap New World wines threatening its vineyards with lower costs but higher standards. It means unemployment. And to recover from its economic decline, the young French No camp wants more protectionism and higher tariffs, to repel invaders such as Estonia and Poland, new European Union members.
This is a treble blow to Mr Blair. First, it shows that France will not be persuaded into his way of economic thinking: its people are viscerally opposed.
But economic reform is, embarrassingly, the chosen theme of Britain's six- month presidency of the EU, which starts in July. Mr Chirac now has no mandate to proceed an inch further down this road.
Secondly, the French No has drawn a line in the sand for its future presidents: no-one can very well sign up to UK-style economic reform now the people have so spectacularly rejected it. Mr Chirac has been put on notice by his people, who have said it is not for him to cut deals with London.
Finally, the French result has put paid to the idea of any single economic structure for Europe. It is hard to see how the single currency project - founded on the premise of economic consensus - can expand much further.
France and Germany may work closer together. The two may declare a desire to forge closer union, perhaps harmonise tax and regulations and start to raise tariffs rather than tear them down. Italy, Belgium, Spain and Luxembourg may well join in.
European integration may take other forms. There remains potential for a common defence policy, such as missions to Africa and peacekeeping in Kosovo. There could be common foreign policy, such as arguing for the Kyoto climate change treaty.
This is also a moment of liberation. For years, Britain has been prescribing its own economic medicine to the eurozone - and, for years, the leaders of France, Germany and Italy have pretended to swallow.
Now, the French public has tested the medicine - and spat it out. In doing so, they have made a new declaration of economic independence: it will now proceed in a way Britain fundamentally disagrees with.
Time will tell which country is right. The EU, meanwhile, must find other ways to press ahead.
PING
We can only hope that it will implode.
How is it Blair's fault that France has a lot of morons?
Bizarre logic.
Ever since I saw this I've been asking...now what? What does this mean for the EU (bear in mind I'm not that bright) (feel free to disagree! :-)). Does France pull out of the EU? Does the EU go back to the drawing board?
It means they stall 3 years or so.
And then no referendums the next time.
With France and Netherlands (which more likely to) vote "no", other "no" may come from UK... Where else? How about Poland and Denmark, who I believe will have referendum soon? Or Ireland (who --with Denmark --also has history of rejecting EU treaty)?
Dutch people vote will be NO
British have already said NO by rejecting the Euro currency/zone
By the same logic that an 88 year old in Holland has constipation is all PRESIDENT Bush's fault.
That is of course they still have 88 year olds in Holland.
ultra-liberalism" and capitalism run wild.
"I think what we have here is a failure to communicate"
Shameless Plug
French 'No' Vote Could Stall European Integration
VOA ^ | 5/30/05 | Roger Wilkison
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1413393/posts
/Shameless Plug
So, considering that it's not 'socialist' enough, it's not a surprise that Frenchies hate the British's "3rd way".
Maybe the UK could become our 51st state.
Hell,it's not much further than Hawaii.
Now wouldn't that get the French knickers in a twist?
What!? Never! this is great news for the UK. At last the French government have failed to miserably and the UK is laughing big time at the French. We are Europe's strongest economy and they are jealous because of it! How now will we become a 51st state!?
No,I'm in Mass and have been both places-----Just "guesstimating"is all!
It takes me 6 hours to get to the UK and it's about 6 hours from the West Coast to Hawaii.
Believe me,I was only kidding.
I love the UK,I'm glad they kept their currency,and am thrilled about the "No" vote.
Go Brittania!!!!! (Remember "Cool Brittania"?)
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