Posted on 05/29/2005 1:12:07 PM PDT by Betaille
French voters have rejected the proposed EU constitution in Sunday's referendum, according to an exit poll. The poll quoted by French TV gives the "No" side 55% - in line with surveys published in the run-up to the vote.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
Correct me if I am wrong but it will only take one country member of the EU to say NO for the constitution and the document is dead.
Jack Straw is talking about it.
Obviously you haven't read the "constitution" (with the annexs of course).
A constitution that states that we should protect a "social market economy" and "fair trade" is socialist enough for me to reject it.
No half measures, please.
If the French will have it even more socialist there are others who will reject that version. Of course this is not the end of EU (unfortunately), but to shout that that the French no will mean a more socialist Europe when the bl..dy constitutional treaty is a staitst, socialist, authoritarian construct is total idiocy or dangerously close to that category.
My experience was quite different when I visited in the early '80s. I was quite young and hung out with a young French crowd. During the day, they listened to a French radio station that played only American pop/rock music. At night we walked through the streets of Paris with them singing the lyrics of American pop songs in English. I wasn't able to sing with them because I had never mermerized the words, but they had in a language that was not their native tongue.
I don't think the French hate the US as much as they have great envy of our success and influence in the world. The days of French dominance over the political and cultural life of Europe are long over. They just cannot adjust to their new role as a secondary player. The EU was the dream of France once again dominating Europe, but even they are not willing to make the sacrifices that role would require.
France is sliding into economic and political decay. But hey--c'est la vie.
That has been proposed a long time ago here at FR, and probably elsewhere - I think during the height of the anti-US lobbying in the UN regarding Iraq is the first time I heard that. Probably has been around incubating for some time before that, too. Problem is that th UK has to get rid of their anti-US intelligensia first, too.
57 percent NO - 42 percent YES, with 83 percent of the votes counted
Who will replace him, a Marxist?
No, that's correct - however a Dutch rejection will confirm that it's a dead letter.
Regards, Ivan
It seems they rejected it because it was "too right-wing" yet we would have rejected it because it was "too socialist" for the Anglo-Saxon world...
Probably Nicholas Sarkozy, who is a bit better in terms of repairing the trans-Atlantic relationship.
Regards, Ivan
"Ah yes, Herr Schroeder...all I can say is, Go Merkel!"
Actually the "No" vote is just another futile attempt of the french to stop Europe and the European Union from changing. The french didn't like the constitutional treaty for two reasons:
1.) It isn't socialist enough.
2.) It mirrors France's loss of power within Europe. When Chirac tried to discipline the new members once by recommending them to "shut up", he still thought France could decide the course of the European Union. Well, surprise, it can't. That time's passed.
But to all those in the U.S. that think the E.U.'s gonna fail: Don't hold your breath for it. The after-effects of WWI and WWII will still matter for the next 100-200 years, meaning: Cooperation for the European nations is always preferable to confrontation. The EU will continue to exist in one form or another, but maybe (hopefully IMHO) it will change to a leaner, meaner union, that will be able to successfully promote the common interests of the European nations (mainly trade and the common market) while not infringing on the prerogatives of the nation states. And in that sense a chancellor Merkel wouldn't be a bad thing.
SCHADENFRENCH
I'm not sure what you mean by "work". The USSR didn't "work" very well, either, in that it was an economic disaster scene. But it was effective at maintaining power. People who desire power don't necessarily care if they're acting in the best interests of the people they wield power over.
The fact remains, the governments of Europe have been very happy to turn over large portions of their sovereignty to the EU. One of the most important cornerstones of sovereignty is monetary policy, and they pretty much surrendered that without a fight. That doesn't bode well for their willingness to fight for their independence in the future.
The wild card there is the EUro. In this you are quite right, you cannot have a currency without political institutions. They may have to ditch it.
That would certainly be nice, but I don't see the same people who agreed to the Euro, all of the sudden turning around and ditching it, unless they feel very large amounts of heat from their constituents. There are rumblings in that direction, but Euroskeptics have a big work load cut out for them. And it's a lot easier on an economy to create a currency than to get rid of it.
I should not say that for the real impetus behind all of this was not commerce, of course, but this bizarre simulation of the USA as vehicle for power from the Eurocrats.
The impetus behind it was power, plain and simple. Back when it was just a "free trade zone", its architects knew what they were creating. They knew quite well. This isn't just some post-Cold War, try-to-keep-up-with-the-U.S. fad.
Ditto.
Chirac is finished. He has been entirely emasculated for the remainder of his term.
A brilliant, wonderful result. The hour of revenge has struck.
May he sleep well tonight ;-)
Time to put the filet migon on the BBQ....
Hmmm - probably smart to sell oil tomorrow - as those who were betting that the euro would gradually displace the dollar come to realize just what you are predicting about he euro. Bet on relatively long term pressure depressing oil prices.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaa!!!
The French actually did something right, and an added bonus Jacque is humiliated!
Bush, Blair, and Howard all reelected
Schroeder is going down painfully and Chirac is now humiliated and defeated.
Hmmmm.....
Outstanding. I have to increase the amount of respect I have for the French public. Even if many of them voted no because they think the constitution isn't socialist enough, they should still get credit for recognizing that handing power and sovereignty to unaccountable bureaucrats in Brussels is a bad idea.
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.