French voters reject EU charter (constitution)

BBC ^ | May 30, 2005

[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.

[weegee]

I would have thought that France would vote "non".

[RobFromGa]

From all I have seen, it lost because a significant number of French citizens do not want to allow non-French people to be able to work and take away jobs from French people. Since the EU Constitution basically allows open migration of citizens within the EU including working, the French saw this as a threat to their economic livelihood.

And some people are against it because they want to show Chirac that they don't like what his policies have done to their economy. These people will expect more socialism, even though more conservative economic policy is their only long-term hope out of the mess they are in (lower taxes, greatly reduced labor regulations, lower spending, more personal responsibility).

[mainepatsfan]

They'll portray the CDU as being just a step away from the NSDAP.

[longtermmemmory]

I saw it as bureacrats protecting their turf. A yes vote starts the process of turning french government bureacrat power over to the EU eurocrat offices.

Essentially outsourcing bureacracy.

EU speaking just said that the french people want the EU government just at this time they want less EU government.

Greek TV saying the germans are not viewing this a vote back just a vote for status quo.

[mainepatsfan]

The spin is on.

[USAfearsnobody]

I've just been corrected through private message! Its with an "E"

SCHADENFRENCHE!

LOL, thats funny. Good 1.

[mainepatsfan]

In a few days we may experience SCHADENDUTCH.

[Destro]

What sadly many Americans don't get - being that most are under educated on foreign events and get most of their news from sub par sources such as talk radio personalities - is that the EU is no going towards "Socialism" per say. In fact the French are voting 'NON' for the most part because the EU will end govt subsidies. The EU forces divestment of govt owned and supported business for the most part. What the EU does represent that does strike Americans as "Socialist" is examples of homogenization and standardization by (what I call) Eurocrats.

What the EU is striving for is a heavily regulated free market eurocracy and not really classical Marxist-Socialisim - not even the Swedish model.

The irony is that France would have been more market oriented under this EU constitution (even with the uber regulations) than she is now. I am sure that irony is lost on many here.

[AFPhys]

Does anybody have an update on the voting? % votes % counted?

[WestVirginiaRebel]

The EU, speaking like true Communists-they know what's best for the people, whether the people want it or not.

[USAfearsnobody]

Adding that too!

[mainepatsfan]

Zogby's exit polling pointed to a big yes victory. Ooops.

[kabar]

I have mixed feelings about all this. A stronger Europe may be a good thing for America. Anti-American sentiment rose after the collapse of the Soviet Union because we were the only superpower left that everyone could hate.

Under this constitution, Europe wouldn't be any stronger. Regardless, Europe is declining. An aging population, less than replacement birth rates, an overly generous social welfare system that they can't sustain, declining expenditures on defense, and economic woes icluding double digit unemployment spell the end of European power.

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Zogby? Maybe they can find a few votes for John Kerry...

[USAfearsnobody]

Sorry, you're right. Some communists hate it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mainepatsfan]

There could be a few provisional Ohio ballots floating around Paris somewhere I suppose.

[ExtremeUnction]

I am sure that irony is lost on many here.

We GET irony, Jethro. In fact, despite your concern that we are stupid, I got up this morning and guess what?? The US still rules the world. The Frogs are brain-dead.

[stripes1776]

Problem is that th UK has to get rid of their anti-US intelligensia first, too.

Yes, the intellectuals, who are mostly illogical and anti-intellecual, are very anti-US. But that is true on American college campuses too. The important thing is to stay in the debate and challenge the so called intellectuals and expose their pedantic nonsense based on sheer fantasy.

[bahblahbah]

Actually I get it perfectly. The fact is I don't want that kind of system anywhere on this earth out of fear it might end up in the US. I want France and Germany to be more socialist on their own so they'll just head faster towards irrelevance.