All eyes on the French
The kings of retreating may be about to add another notch to their record.
The smooth functioning of the EU is important to Europe, however, it's hard to say whether or not the French understand this.
The last surveys put the "No" camp clearly ahead, with up to 56 percent expected to vote down the treaty at the end of a heated campaign that divided France and became a debate on the government's economic record as well as the future of Europe.
Judging from what I have read in The Economist lately (yes, I do pick it up from time to time), I don't think France or any other industrialized country in Western Europe (namely Germany and Italy) can afford not to throw their full support behind the EU. There is simply too much competition coming from China and the rest of Asia that is doing murder to their economies, causing unemployment rates to become a serious issue.
"I voted 'No' in all conscience, having read the text, due to the lack of will to solve Europe's number one problem today, which is unemployment," said Armel Bompart, 52, a civil servant in Strasbourg, home to the European parliament.
Well, I suppose "lack of will" is an entirely different issue (that seems to be a current trend in Europe anyway). I guess no one on the outside can really help them there.
In any case, like I was saying, this is really what it all comes down to:
Oh and if anyone cares, I found the full text of the proposed Constitution for Europe. I don't really feel qualified to comment on it considering I lack a PhD in government or economics, but from what I can tell, it looks pretty good to me. Of course, you should take that with a grain of salt (UN charters look pretty darn good as well, but whoever really upholds them?), however, based on principle it appears to be sound.
The smooth functioning of the EU is important to Europe, however, it's hard to say whether or not the French understand this.
The last surveys put the "No" camp clearly ahead, with up to 56 percent expected to vote down the treaty at the end of a heated campaign that divided France and became a debate on the government's economic record as well as the future of Europe.
Judging from what I have read in The Economist lately (yes, I do pick it up from time to time), I don't think France or any other industrialized country in Western Europe (namely Germany and Italy) can afford not to throw their full support behind the EU. There is simply too much competition coming from China and the rest of Asia that is doing murder to their economies, causing unemployment rates to become a serious issue.
"I voted 'No' in all conscience, having read the text, due to the lack of will to solve Europe's number one problem today, which is unemployment," said Armel Bompart, 52, a civil servant in Strasbourg, home to the European parliament.
Well, I suppose "lack of will" is an entirely different issue (that seems to be a current trend in Europe anyway). I guess no one on the outside can really help them there.
In any case, like I was saying, this is really what it all comes down to:
If it [the constitution] were thrown out, the EU would continue to operate under current rules widely seen as unworkable for a Union intent on enlarging further, and voting could soon become paralyzed.
Supporters say the treaty will help make Europe and France stronger in the face of economic threats from other countries such as China. They say a French "No" would kill the treaty.
Oh and if anyone cares, I found the full text of the proposed Constitution for Europe. I don't really feel qualified to comment on it considering I lack a PhD in government or economics, but from what I can tell, it looks pretty good to me. Of course, you should take that with a grain of salt (UN charters look pretty darn good as well, but whoever really upholds them?), however, based on principle it appears to be sound.
posted by Remz Pokorny @ 12:09 PM
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