EU Constitution: another one down

[Dreamer128]

Slovenia's parliament says a loud yes to EU Constitution

02.02.2005 - 09:46 CET | By Lucia Kubosova
Slovenia is the third country to have ratified the European Constitution, following overwhelming vote of approval in its parliament on Tuesday (1 February).

Seventy-nine MPs in the 90-seat chamber voted in favour of the treaty, with only four rejecting it and seven abstaining. A two-thirds majority was required for the ratification.

Ljubljana has followed Lithuania and Hungary in giving the go-ahead for the document, expected to come into force in 2007 if all 25 member states ratify it.

Italy's lower house of parliament voted in favour of the treaty a week ago but the upper house still has to ratify it.

Several other countries are planning to conduct a referendum on the Constitution - the first one will be held in Spain on 20 February.

A recent survey by the European Commission showed that 49 percent of EU citizens are in favour of the constitutional treaty, but a large majority has very little knowledge of its content.

Happy to be frontrunners

Before the vote in Ljubljana, Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa reminded the legislators that their support of the Constitution would allow the country to lead the ratification process in the EU and move the treaty a step closer to its implementation.

"That way, Slovenia will meet its great responsibility towards the common future of Europe," Mr Jensa was reported as saying.

EU communications commissioner Margot Wallstrom welcomed the news, saying in a statement, "Slovenia gives a strong signal to other Member States on the
benefits that the Constitution brings".

However, several opposition MPs criticised the government in its rush for early ratification.

Bogdan Barovic of the nationalist opposition Slovenian National Party urged lawmakers to reject the document and protest the hurried way it was being ratified.

"Instead of having a debate on the bill and then approving it, we are first approving it and later we are supposed to debate on it," Barovic was quoted sa saying by the AFP agency.

A majority of Slovenian citizens (54%) support the new EU treaty, according to an opinion poll by Ljubljana's Social Sciences Faculty published last month.

However, just like at the European level, in-depth knowledge of the text is an exception.

French MPs paved the way for the treaty
The French Assemblee Nationale voted by a very large majority yesterday to adapt the French Constitution to allow the ratification of the European Constitution.

There were 450 votes in favour and 34 against. There were 64 abstentions, mainly from Socialist party members (56) opposed to the Constitution.

(EUObserver)

[johnny]

A majority of Slovenian citizens (54%) support the new EU treaty, according to an opinion poll by Ljubljana's Social Sciences Faculty published last month. However, just like at the European level, in-depth knowledge of the text is an exception.

Typical.

[Moiraine]

Dreamer, why are you so supportive of the E.U. 'Constitution' project ?

I have read it through and through, and I intend to vote against it.

This is a treaty disguised as a Constitution. This text promotes free trade as its main 'value'. 'Free trade' is NOT a value that links me to my fellow European citizens, and so I cannot vote for such a text.

[shamrock_uk]

You've read it?! Blimey, you've certainly got more stamina than I have - what a document!

But (assuming that it isn't before the election and I can't use it as a protest vote ) I shall be voting for it because:

1) The ad-hoc arrangements that exist currently are certainly in need of some formalization

2) The decision-making process needs streamlined, especially now new countries are joining

3) It's not really taking any great chunks out of national sovereignty, but simply clarifying existing powers and laws

[philip]

Is there a summary of it somewhere? It looks like I'll be 18 when we can give our opinion on it in the Netherlands and I surely don't want to miss my chance to do so.

[Dreamer128]

Plenty of summaries available on the web, Philip (try: http://www.euabc.com/upload/rfConstitution_en.pdf - it's available in Dutch as well). It's a shame our government doesn't inform it's people better, though. The French government send a copy of the Constitution to all it's citizens. To answer Moraines question, I support the Constitution because it is much needed. We need to streamline our institutions and reform our decision making processes. We need less Commissioners, more majority voting and simpler law-making procedures. Much like you, I don't like every aspect of this Constitution. But if you read it's history, you'll see that this is the best possible compromise for now. If we fail to ratify this treaty, I may have a rather long beard by the time an alternative arrises. And all this time, the European Union wil be paralysed. Because it wasn't made to coop with 25 memberstates. The current system was developed for a mere six, and it no longer functiones as well as it once did. The world is in turmoil. And we need a stronger, more democratic and more effectively working Union to deal with tomorrows challenges. And unfortunately, this means that we don't have another twenty years to negotiate about alternative reforms. We need the current treaty. And I deeply regret that they've chosen to call it a Constitution and decided to ratify it through referenda.

[ 02-04-2005, 08:55 PM: Message edited by: Dreamer128 ]

[Dreamer128]

Referendum Round One

French and German leaders rush to back the EU Constitution in Spain
11.02.2005 - 09:55 CET | By Lucia Kubosova

French and German leaders are heading for Spain to boost the yes-campaign in the run up to the first referendum on the EU Constitution.

Spain is the first of ten countries in the EU to ratify the treaty by popular vote, which will be held on Sunday, 20 February.

French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder will arrive in Barcelona tonight to endorse the pro-Constitution forces, led by Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.

Their Italian counterpart Silvio Berlusconi was also expected, but had to decline because of having the flu, media reported.

Both the ruling Socialists (PSOE) and opposition People’s Party (PP) support the document, and the polls show that a clear majority of 40 percent is likely to vote in favour, with a mere seven percent opposed.

However, there remains a large group of floating voters and 90 percent of Spaniards are said to know nothing or very little about the Constitution.

Given the gloomy predictions of indifference and lack of knowledge among citizens, Mr Zapatero has spent about 7.5 million euro on the government’s campaign, dubbed, "The First with Europe".

And before today's visit from his high profile European colleagues, Mr Zapatero had famous Spanish football players performing in TV advertisements endorsing the new EU treaty, while a shortened version was spread around at football matches or in newspapers.

The outcome as well as the turnout in the Spanish poll is likely to be crucial for other countries enrolled for an 18-month referendum marathon.

Unlike in Spain, the cabinets in some other countries, like the UK, the Czech Republic or Poland will have to care far more not only about persuading people to vote, but also to vote yes to the treaty.

(EUObserver)