all_i_want
Refugee
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2004
- Messages
- 1,180
so the french said no to the european constituition, and it seems like the dutch will do so too. the rejections in two of the original member states could cause turmoil in the union. what do the europeans here think? how would you like to see EU progress over the next decade? constitution, yes or no? why?
PARIS (Reuters) - France and Europe reeled on Monday from a resounding French "No" vote that could sound the death knell for a proposed constitution for the European Union.
Defeated in one of France's biggest referendum turnouts for years, President Jacques Chirac hinted he could replace Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, who told reporters after meeting Chirac to expect unspecified political developments by Tuesday.
In a turnout of 69.7 percent, many voters used the poll to punish Chirac's conservatives over France's fragile economy and high unemployment. The 72-year-old leader promised changes but ignored calls from some opponents to step down.
The charter, designed to ensure smooth decision-making in the enlarged bloc, requires the backing of all member states to enter into force. EU leaders said the treaty was still alive but acknowledged the French result hit its chances elsewhere in the 25-nation bloc, notably in Wednesday's vote in the Netherlands.
"There is a risk of contagion,"
European Commission President Jose Manuel Durao Barroso told French LCI Television after results of Sunday's referendum showed 54.87 percent of French voters voted "No," a higher margin than most expected.
A Dutch rejection is seen making it harder for EU leaders to call repeat votes in countries that turn down the charter.
"It's always been said in the Netherlands we should not become Europe's village idiot by voting 'No'. This will give the Dutch more confidence to say 'No' to this constitution," Dutch Socialist Party member Harry van Bommel told Reuters.
KNOCK FOR INVESTOR CONFIDENCE
The result drove the euro down half a percent to $1.2505 in European trade. With markets closed for a holiday in London and the United States, the full impact could be felt on Tuesday.
While the outcome was not seen jeopardizing the monetary union that underpins the euro, leaders feared the expected political uncertainty could hit investment and reform efforts.
"It cannot be positive for the economy of Europe," Jean-Claude Juncker, prime minister of current EU presidency-holder Luxembourg, told French RTL radio.
Nine countries representing nearly half the EU's 454 million citizens have approved the constitution and leaders from Greece, Poland and Denmark said the process must continue as planned.
With a renegotiation of the charter seen impossible, Barroso said EU leaders would study options at a June 16-17 summit. EU rules leave open what would happen in the event of one or more rejections, and EU officials stress they have no "Plan B."
British Prime Minister
Tony Blair told reporters on a visit to Italy the EU needed "time for reflection," adding it was too early to say whether Britain would proceed with its referendum.
The outcome resonated as far as EU-hopeful Turkey, where the government said the vote was a French matter. The EU's executive Commission in Brussels said there was no link to plans to open entry talks with Ankara on Oct. 3, but others were less sure.
"The French result shows that European public opinion is not ready to welcome Turkey as a partner," said Emin Sirin, an independent member of the Turkish parliament. The Turkish lira was steady, with a French "No" already factored into prices.
LAME DUCK?
The heavy defeat leaves Chirac appearing a lame duck two years before presidential and parliamentary elections and speculation grew that he would announce a cabinet shake-up.
Raffarin left a 30-minute meeting at Chirac's Elysee Palace on Monday morning promising "developments later in the day...or tomorrow." He did not say whether he had offered to resign.
Political analysts said the sheer size of the "No" vote could make Nicolas Sarkozy, ambitious leader of Chirac's ruling UMP party, favorite for the post after he called for a radical overhaul of economic and social policy after the result.
The other main contender is Interior Minister and long-time Chirac loyalist Dominique de Villepin, a main Sarkozy rival.
Analysts agreed a key factor in the resounding defeat of the "Yes" camp was anger at unemployment -- now at a 5-year high of 10.2 percent -- and at Chirac's unpopular economic reforms.
Constitution critics successfully portrayed the charter as enshrining pro-market policies that would cost French jobs and put business interests ahead of social concerns.
Some said the "No" camp had captured public concern about France's declining role in an EU of 25 countries to argue the constitution would mean a loss of sovereignty and a shift of more powers to Brussels.
(Reporting by Paris bureau; Crispian Balmer in San Gimignano; Gareth Jones in Ankara; Wendel Broere and Heleen van Geest in Amsterdam)
PARIS (Reuters) - France and Europe reeled on Monday from a resounding French "No" vote that could sound the death knell for a proposed constitution for the European Union.
Defeated in one of France's biggest referendum turnouts for years, President Jacques Chirac hinted he could replace Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, who told reporters after meeting Chirac to expect unspecified political developments by Tuesday.
In a turnout of 69.7 percent, many voters used the poll to punish Chirac's conservatives over France's fragile economy and high unemployment. The 72-year-old leader promised changes but ignored calls from some opponents to step down.
The charter, designed to ensure smooth decision-making in the enlarged bloc, requires the backing of all member states to enter into force. EU leaders said the treaty was still alive but acknowledged the French result hit its chances elsewhere in the 25-nation bloc, notably in Wednesday's vote in the Netherlands.
"There is a risk of contagion,"
European Commission President Jose Manuel Durao Barroso told French LCI Television after results of Sunday's referendum showed 54.87 percent of French voters voted "No," a higher margin than most expected.
A Dutch rejection is seen making it harder for EU leaders to call repeat votes in countries that turn down the charter.
"It's always been said in the Netherlands we should not become Europe's village idiot by voting 'No'. This will give the Dutch more confidence to say 'No' to this constitution," Dutch Socialist Party member Harry van Bommel told Reuters.
KNOCK FOR INVESTOR CONFIDENCE
The result drove the euro down half a percent to $1.2505 in European trade. With markets closed for a holiday in London and the United States, the full impact could be felt on Tuesday.
While the outcome was not seen jeopardizing the monetary union that underpins the euro, leaders feared the expected political uncertainty could hit investment and reform efforts.
"It cannot be positive for the economy of Europe," Jean-Claude Juncker, prime minister of current EU presidency-holder Luxembourg, told French RTL radio.
Nine countries representing nearly half the EU's 454 million citizens have approved the constitution and leaders from Greece, Poland and Denmark said the process must continue as planned.
With a renegotiation of the charter seen impossible, Barroso said EU leaders would study options at a June 16-17 summit. EU rules leave open what would happen in the event of one or more rejections, and EU officials stress they have no "Plan B."
British Prime Minister
Tony Blair told reporters on a visit to Italy the EU needed "time for reflection," adding it was too early to say whether Britain would proceed with its referendum.
The outcome resonated as far as EU-hopeful Turkey, where the government said the vote was a French matter. The EU's executive Commission in Brussels said there was no link to plans to open entry talks with Ankara on Oct. 3, but others were less sure.
"The French result shows that European public opinion is not ready to welcome Turkey as a partner," said Emin Sirin, an independent member of the Turkish parliament. The Turkish lira was steady, with a French "No" already factored into prices.
LAME DUCK?
The heavy defeat leaves Chirac appearing a lame duck two years before presidential and parliamentary elections and speculation grew that he would announce a cabinet shake-up.
Raffarin left a 30-minute meeting at Chirac's Elysee Palace on Monday morning promising "developments later in the day...or tomorrow." He did not say whether he had offered to resign.
Political analysts said the sheer size of the "No" vote could make Nicolas Sarkozy, ambitious leader of Chirac's ruling UMP party, favorite for the post after he called for a radical overhaul of economic and social policy after the result.
The other main contender is Interior Minister and long-time Chirac loyalist Dominique de Villepin, a main Sarkozy rival.
Analysts agreed a key factor in the resounding defeat of the "Yes" camp was anger at unemployment -- now at a 5-year high of 10.2 percent -- and at Chirac's unpopular economic reforms.
Constitution critics successfully portrayed the charter as enshrining pro-market policies that would cost French jobs and put business interests ahead of social concerns.
Some said the "No" camp had captured public concern about France's declining role in an EU of 25 countries to argue the constitution would mean a loss of sovereignty and a shift of more powers to Brussels.
(Reporting by Paris bureau; Crispian Balmer in San Gimignano; Gareth Jones in Ankara; Wendel Broere and Heleen van Geest in Amsterdam)
