| French rejection rocks Britain’s decision on an EU referendum |
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French rejection to the EU constitution was very much anticipated and predicted well in advance, yet the denial of the EU charter in France has sent shock waves across the globe.
Following rejection of the EU treaty in France, Prime Minister Tony Blair indicated the possibilities of the referendum in UK being called off, in view of the future direction of the European Union, which now appear a little cloudy, at least in the current format.
Meanwhile, politicians in France sought the resignation of President Jacques Chirac, who had risked his reputation and status by approving of the treaty and casting a ‘yes’ vote. However, the EU presidency reiterated that the ratifying procedure of the EU bill would proceed, notwithstanding the French ‘no’ to the treaty.
Back home, Blair called this time a “time for reflection” saying that it was not possible to arrive at a decision yet as to whether the referendum would carry on in Britain or not. Blair also awaits the Dutch vote, which is scheduled for June 1, before drawing any conclusions.
In Blair’s reaction to the French rejection and its effect on the future of the European Union, he said, “Underneath all this there is a more profound question, which is about the future of Europe and, in particular, the future of the European economy and how we deal with the modern questions of globalization and technological change.”
Blair has been favouring the EU charter and soliciting a ‘yes’ for its implementation. The government indicated that the ballot could take some time and could be conducted by November 2006.
As regards the opinions of Britons on the bill, the March 22 ICM Ltd. Poll that surveyed 1000 voters showed 30 percent of voters endorsing the constitution while 54 percent standing in opposition to it. It saw Conservatives and the No Campaign urging Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, to scrap the EU referendum in the country.
Straw reacted to the French rejection saying that he would not declare any decision before next week and “any formal position on the future of this treaty has to be taken by the European Council whose creature it is. It's better for us to reflect on why the French made their decision and wait until the Dutch have voted.”
Posted
on : Mon, 30 May 2005 12:55 GMT | General News
By : Anne Philips
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