EU Constitution Faces Oblivion, According to Polls

The Financial Times ^ | June 3, 2003 | The Financial Times reporters

[quidnunc]

EU – Widening popular opposition to the European constitution on Friday seemed set to consign the text to oblivion, in spite of last-ditch efforts by some EU leaders to keep it alive.

Four separate polls in Denmark and a survey in the Czech Republic indicated the two countries could both vote No in referendums on the constitution.

This follows negative verdicts in France and the Netherlands.

Gerhard Schröder, German chancellor, is spearheading an attempt to keep the ratification process on track and is scheduled to meet Jacques Chirac, French president, in Berlin on Saturday.

The European Commission is also worried that any unilateral action by member states to stop the ratification process before an EU summit on June 16-17 could provoke bitter recriminations, deepening the rift within the EU.

However, several senior European commissioners have already privately suggested that Europe should “hit the pause button” on ratification for fear of the popular backlash wreaking further havoc on the EU.

Denmark and Portugal have signalled that if the UK delayed its referendum they too could put their votes on hold.

On Monday, Tony Blair's government is expected to put on ice legislation preparing for a referendum.

Ireland has also wavered in its commitment to hold a referendum. Asked if he could still envisage an Irish referendum, Dermot Ahern, foreign minister, told the Irish Times: “I can'tsay, we will wait and see what comes out of the European Council [of EU leaders].”

-snip-

[quidnunc]

Reporting by Daniel Dombey in Brussels, Clare MacCarthy in Copenhagen, Peter Wise in Lisbon, Jan Cienski in Warsaw, Robert Anderson in Bratislava and Mark Andress in Prague

[RedBeaconNY]

Oh darn...

[CivilWarguy]

I love the Danish reaction, which is "If we're going to lose the referendum, then we will postpone the referendum". Typical elitist, statist Eurosh--t.

[backhoe]

This, and other related subjects, have been added to this keyword database for easy reference:

KEYWORDS:  EUROFREUDE; 

[Meldrim]

The Portuguese have been very welcoming of EU $ but otherwise fairly reticent about giving anything up. I cannot believe that they'd favor living under French Supervision, which is what this constitution is all about.

[AFPhys]

Czech Republic, Portugal, Ireland:
No final decision taken on whether a referendum will be held.

Denmark:
Referendum scheduled for 27 September 2005.

[Owl558]

That screaming you hear are French and German neo-imperial ambitions dying a horrible death.