Posted on 05/29/2005 1:41:55 PM PDT by Libloather
French Reject EU Constitution, Gov't Says
By JOHN LEICESTER, Associated Press Writer
5 minutes ago
PARIS - French voters rejected the European Union's first constitution Sunday, early government results showed — a stinging repudiation of the ambitious, decades-long effort to further unite the continent.
With about 83 percent of the votes counted, the referendum was rejected by 57.26 percent of voters, the Interior Ministry said. The treaty was supported by 42.74 percent, the ministry said.
All 25 EU members must ratify the text for it to take effect — and nine already have done so. The Dutch vote Wednesday, with polls showing opposition to the constitution running at about 60 percent.
"There is no more constitution," leading opponent Philippe de Villiers said. "It is necessary to reconstruct Europe on other foundations that don't currently exist."
De Villiers called on Chirac to submit his resignation — something the French leader had said he would refuse to do — and called for parliament to be dissolved.
"Tonight we face a major political crisis," he said.
EU officials had said that even if France rejected the treaty, efforts to ratify it in other countries would proceed, and they have been vague on whether the treaty might be somehow renegotiated or submitted to a repeat vote.
Backers said the constitution, which European leaders signed in October, would streamline EU operations and decision-making, and make the bloc more accessible to its 450 million citizens. The text would give the EU a president and foreign minister so it could speak with one voice in world affairs.
Opponents feared it would strip nations of sovereignty and trigger an influx of cheap labor just as European powers such as France and Germany struggle to contain double-digit unemployment.
Left-wing opponents argued that the treaty would not protect France's cherished social protections and public services, and would open the door to unfettered capitalism and trample on workers' rights.
Some said the treaty did not go far enough toward making the European Union more democratic, including by not giving enough powers to the European Parliament.
Nobody mentioned wagglebee, and all I want is that people keep in mind that there´s more behind a picture than the first impression. Think before you post. All the other pics here are funny and slamming the EU-/French connection without being insensitive. I don´t attack anybody here.
"The idea for the EU constituion came from the French and German governments, and the 108-person committee was headed by the former French president, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing !"
The idea has been underway since at least 1969-70 when I lived in Germany.
The original smaller idea concerned itself with lowering barriers for trade, easing border crossings, etc.
Along the way, it has grown to involve common currency, a huge bureacracy, common laws, uniform measurements, common foreign policy.
So when a nation rejects it saying they are giving up their sovereignty, they are so correct.
The objections come from the right and the left.
They need to go back to square one, and return to the smaller, original idea. People may approve that.
Whee! :) Yet another cheer from yet another EU:er who didn't get to vote! (Sweden)
Die Franzosen (Schneckenfresser < as an insult >) sind brennende Arschlöcher.
[Note: the statement above is not the opinion of the author. It´s just a translation. I´m well aware that 55% of the French voters did a good job today - even though Nazis, Commies and Socialists were among them.]
The Brit here didn't like it either.
I can see what monkapotamus was getting at (Europe in flames?), but people suffered a horrible firey death on that Concorde flight. There's no humour in that.
Well, thankfully, it´s over by now. This show proves that the bureaucrats have lost contact to us. The people appreciate the freedoms we have in the EU, and we like being in the EU. But we don´t like a bureaucratic monster that controls us without democratic control and without respecting the sovereignty of our nations. Europe - yes. But not that fast, not that "out of reality".
At least one issue Brits and Germans are united! ;-D
"It is necessary to reconstruct Europe on other foundations that don't currently exist."
Could try Kellogg's Frosted Flakes.
"They're Grrrrreeeat!"
Yep. I knew it would be good!
Genau! Of course I know the elite are going to misread this vote as usual. But why do they think the public rejects them over and over again at every turn? I've read that because of European history (but also true in the US to some extent), the elite very openly sees the public as a barrier and as a danger.
The irony is that this could have all been avoided if they weren't so stupid to think they could have won a referendum in France. Obviously that's why they avoided one in Germany!
Can you spell it? ;-)
In American spelling:
Dee Frahhnnzusan zeent brannanda Ahrshlucker.
Schneckenfresser (snails-eater) could be said as Shnackanfrasser.
Have fun! ;-)
Well, to your disappointment, Communists and most Socialists voted no.
yep
"Well, to your disappointment, Communists and most Socialists voted no."
All the better - nothing like watching your enemy shoot himself in the foot! ;)
Yep. IF the constitution ever comes, it´ll be one for the people. They can have the part about the basic rights, they can have the part about the organs of the EU, but they cannot have the articles about "leaving the EU only if the commission accepts it" or "the EU has the power to take more issues from the national stages".
Funny enough, the constitution was "too capitalistic" for the Communists.
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