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| Europe |
| France's Socialist Party Votes on EU Constitution |
| 2004-12-01 |
| France's opposition Socialist Party was holding a referendum Wednesday on whether to back the EU constitution, a vote with potential repercussions for France and the European Union. After heated internal debate, the 120,000 Socialist party members are being asked to cast "Yes" or "No" ballots on whether they support the constitutional treaty that was signed last month by leaders of all 25 EU countries. The charter is supposed to take effect in 2007, but must first be ratified by all EU states. Many are leaving the decision to lawmakers, but at least nine countries -- including France -- are putting the constitution to nationwide referendums. A single "No" would stop the constitution in its tracks. The outcome of the Socialist vote, expected during the early hours of Thursday, was being anxiously watched for its potential to influence a nationwide referendum that President Jacques Chirac has promised to hold next year. Party members will cast ballots from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. local time. If the Socialists vote "No," it could also cause upheaval within the party, whose leaders have started jockeying for support ahead of France's 2007 presidential election. Party leader Francois Hollande supports the constitution as a way to make the EU more efficient. Speaking on France-2 television Wednesday he urged party members to vote yes and show they "consider that Europe is part of our future." Former Prime Minister Laurent Fabius is one of several high-profile campaigners against the constitution, which he says it too liberal and goes against what he calls a "social Europe." "Either we vote for the constitution and we will have a liberal Europe dominated by the British and the Americans," he told LCI television Wednesday. "Or we want a social Europe, and in that case, we have to vote 'No."' |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #1 All right, I realize that Socialists/Communists don't have to make sense, but: "Either we vote for the constitution and we will have a liberal Europe dominated by the British and the Americans," Is there some other proposed constitution that we haven't seen? He's sure not talking about this puppy |
| Posted by: jackal 2004-12-01 8:16:38 PM |