FRANCE WARNS NO PLAN B IF VOTERS REJECT EU CONSTITUTION(is this a threat?)

Tocqueville Connection ^ | 04/16/05

[TigerLikesRooster]

But Barnier expressed confidence that the French government could yet change voters ' minds despite new opinion polls confirming that most voters oppose the historic text, due to be put to the vote on May 29.

FRANCE WARNS NO PLAN B IF VOTERS REJECT EU CONSTITUTION Received Saturday, 16 April 2005 09:18:00 GMT LUXEMBOURG, April 16 (AFP) - French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier warned Saturday that Paris has no plan B if voters reject the EU constitution in a referendum next month, reiterating that a "no" would seriously weaken France.     But Barnier expressed confidence that the French government could yet change voters' minds despite new opinion polls confirming that most voters oppose the historic text, due to be put to the vote on May 29.     "It has been clearly explained that if France rejects this constitution, it would be weakened both in terms of its ideas and its interests," he said, speaking on the sidelines of a meeting with his EU counterparts in Luxembourg.     But he said: "I am confident that in the coming weeks, ahead of May 29, we can make people understand the stakes."     The constitution, which aims to streamline decision-making in the expanded 25-member European Union, must be ratified by all member states. A rejection in France, one of the EU's largest countries, would effectively kill the treaty.     Barnier said Paris had no alternative proposals in the case of a French no vote. "We have put everything on the table. There will not be another constitution," he said.     "There cannot be any other discussions for a very long time, and we will remain with the current treaties and we know that these treaties are unsatisfactory."     President Jacques Chirac launched a personal effort to persuade voters on French television Thursday night. But two new opinion polls Saturday indicated opposition to the EU constitution had increased to 56 percent of voters.     The French minister denied that Chirac had miscalculated.     "I think he wanted himself to make this referendum into a popular vote, because it is a very important text for Europe and for France, and (he wants) every French person to express their view."     "Every French person must take responsibility. That is the choice on May 29," he added. http://www.ttc.org/200504160918.j3g9ig607662.htm

[stylin19a]

Just keep scheduling voting days. It worked with Ireland.

[BenLurkin]

Barnier said Paris had no alternative proposals in the case of a French no vote. "We have put everything on the table. There will not be another constitution," he said.

That should only encourage the no voters.

[BenLurkin]

Ah, well -- can't let democracy get in the way of 'progressive' policies . . . .

After all, how else will the 'progressives' take things away from us for the common good?

[Semper Paratus]

A real threat would be to cancel the August vacation.

[OldFriend]

Whine whine, let him take his cheese and pout.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #5

That will surely lead to a "regime-change." Bush will be welcomed as a hero greater than De Gaulle, when he vanquishes evil Chirac who did away with August vacation.:-)

[Paul Ross]

Bump. That is the nub of this.

[Nathan Zachary]

So, what they are saying is that the hidden agenda in all this is for France to emerge as the one country with all the power and control over all the others in the EU family.
It's no wonder the "No" vote is so strong. If it were "Yes" it would make France the "Ottawa" of Europe, run by the French just like Ottawa is run by Quebec. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. France would in effect be the dictator of Europe.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

But, but, but couldn't they just keep on being French ?

[Guillermo]

This thing is going to pass, one way or the other.

[kingsurfer]

France would in effect be the dictator of Europe
___________________________________________________________

Well they were never going to get there through war were they.....

[Nathan Zachary]

Is there any doubt? Mugabe is probably Chirac's campaign adviser.

Maybe the UN should be called in to monitor the voting, just to make sure there isn't any corruption...

[Nathan Zachary]

LoL! That's for sure.

[newsgatherer]

I alwasy thought that france's plan A was surrendering to the EU and Plan B was joining the EU.

[SkyPilot]

A real threat would be to cancel the August vacation.

Chirac better be careful when he visits his "Dacha" this summer. Remember what happened to Gorbachev...

[adam_az]

"FRANCE WARNS NO PLAN B IF VOTERS REJECT EU CONSTITUTION"

One vote, one man, ONE TIME. No escape from Brussels.

What a sham.

No wonder they don't like it. The French may be small-minded cowards, but they aren't dumb.

[Jaysun]

I fully expect the French people to take the bait. I'm not so sure that the motive is French power, but a "counterweight" to American power (among other things). Fat chance - their socialism will send them sinking in no time. Speaking of socialist......

The socialist have always resorted to genocide in the past. I wonder who will be subjected to their Roman holiday this time? The Jews again?

[snowsislander]

There will not be another constitution

Well, the current proposal is more of a constitution-in-name-only.

Why anyone who reads it would actually vote for its farrago of socialist nonsense is beyond me. I hope that the French people, in an entirely appropriate act of petulant fickleness, do decide to scuttle this document.

The irony of Spain voting for a document that cedes power to the French who reject it, well, that is a European dynamic that I have observed before if never quite understood.

[hershey]

If they're not willing to work on a second draft of the Constitution, the only option left is to scare the bejesus out of every French voter. Hence, Chirac pulls out the Wicked US rabbit out of the hat.