French Opposition to EU Constitution Continues to Rise

[onedomino]

French opposition to EU constitution rises
Fri Mar 25, 2005 1:46 PM GMT

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-03-25T134634Z_01_HOP549560_RTRUKOC_0_FRANCE-CONSTITUTION-POLL.xml

PARIS (Reuters) - Opposition to the European Union constitution is growing in France despite political leaders' efforts to drum up support for the treaty, a poll shows.

Fifty-five percent of French voters who have decided how they will vote in a May 29 referendum on the constitution plan to reject the text, according to the poll for the weekly Marianne magazine, to be published on Saturday.

The poll was the third survey in less than two weeks to show a majority against a constitution that is intended to make the EU work more smoothly.

The proportion opposed to the treaty has risen from 51 percent and 52 percent in the two previous polls -- a trend which will dismay France's main political parties, who have stepped up their campaign for the EU treaty in recent days.

President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said this week France risked losing influence in the EU if it rejected the constitution and urged voters to judge the text on its own merits rather than linking it to other issues.

Nevertheless, opposition to Turkey's possible EU entry was one of the main reasons cited by those in the 'no' camp, with a desire for EU policy to have a social dimension close behind.

One in five said they would use the referendum as a chance to cast a protest vote against the ruling conservatives.

Half of those polled said they would either abstain, cast blank ballots, or have yet to make up their minds -- about the same proportion as in the two earlier polls which showed a majority against the text.

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[Merlin1047]

Wouldn't it be a huge hoot if Chirac's own people pulled the rug out from under his avaricious dreams of another French empire?

 

[no1tovote4]

Wouldn't it be a huge hoot if Chirac's own people pulled the rug out from under his avaricious dreams of another French empire?

It will make me smile if this whole idea is run off the track by Chirac's pride.

 

[onedomino]

If the French vote no, then the implementation of the EU Constitution will be delayed, not defeated. As the internal politics are juggled, the French will continue to hold referenda until it passes. Sooner or later, an EU Constitution will pass.

 

[padisha emperor]

One in five said they would use the referendum as a chance to cast a protest vote against the ruling conservatives.

It would be very stupid.

You know, the vote is in may, the 29th.
So, 2 monthes again. Things can change.
For the moments, everybody speak of the NO because he grows up in the polls. So, all the NO-friends speak and call to a boycott.
But soon the YES will counter-attack, and the things will probably change.

But a vot NO to protest against Raffarin and Chirac would be dumb.
They have to vote on a text, not on the french governement.
This vote engage France but also 24 other States.

And as it is mentionned, half of the voters have not yet an opinion.



Merlin, stop to see the evil everywhere....
Go see a psychanalist, it would be good for you, to solve your problem.