Le français rejettera-t-il la constitution ?
Discussion
Will the French reject the constitution tomorrow?
Part of me wants them to because I want that constitution in the bin but another part of me wants them to say yes.
If they say Non then Bliar is off the hook. He doesn't need to have his own referendum (which he would lose by a mile) and therefore can stay in his job a while longer. If he had a referendum and lost he would have to go immediately. The longer Brown is in post before the next election the better. The electorate need as much time as possible to see the havoc he will wreak before he stands for re-election.
Either way Vive Le France. :)
Just a thought but does anybody think that the constitution is written to test the water with the public?
To me the European Union of around 1992 was good - relatively easy to get things done, but not opened up to numerous former CIS states, no significant talk of Turkey entering, et cetera. Now it's just gone OTT to the point of not really looking after the older members' interests - and after all it was to keep them prosperous and maintain employment.
Have I just got it wrong?
To me the European Union of around 1992 was good - relatively easy to get things done, but not opened up to numerous former CIS states, no significant talk of Turkey entering, et cetera. Now it's just gone OTT to the point of not really looking after the older members' interests - and after all it was to keep them prosperous and maintain employment.
Have I just got it wrong?
Hey stick to english you guys - you're making my skin crawl!
Am not convinced the "non" will win yet - there are many undecided lost souls and the yes started climbing back in the polls yesterday. Either way it'll be tight, but I'd be delighted with a resounding "non" and a good turnout.
It's all a bit disingenuous the political posturing, telling the people to only answer the question that is being asked and nothing else. Obviously a "yes" to the constitution is implicitly a ratification and approbation of everything that has been done since the last referendum (Maastricht in '92 for the frogs) and will be taken as such by the government. What the eurocrats don't seem to have really twigged is that maybe the majority didn't want to go to 25 member states, aren't happy with the current course for a federal european country with member states as regions, don't want to start talks with Turkey in October, etc. As the people weren't asked about these decisions at the time, now is their chance to sanction it.
Even worse for the Brits who haven't had a voice since '93 (?) when the common market was voted. So much has happened since then, the referendum will clearly not be about the simple question being asked.
I hope that the european gravy train for overpaid eurocrats is derailed, and that's coming from a "good european" - half brit, half dane and married to a frog.
Am not convinced the "non" will win yet - there are many undecided lost souls and the yes started climbing back in the polls yesterday. Either way it'll be tight, but I'd be delighted with a resounding "non" and a good turnout.
It's all a bit disingenuous the political posturing, telling the people to only answer the question that is being asked and nothing else. Obviously a "yes" to the constitution is implicitly a ratification and approbation of everything that has been done since the last referendum (Maastricht in '92 for the frogs) and will be taken as such by the government. What the eurocrats don't seem to have really twigged is that maybe the majority didn't want to go to 25 member states, aren't happy with the current course for a federal european country with member states as regions, don't want to start talks with Turkey in October, etc. As the people weren't asked about these decisions at the time, now is their chance to sanction it.
Even worse for the Brits who haven't had a voice since '93 (?) when the common market was voted. So much has happened since then, the referendum will clearly not be about the simple question being asked.
I hope that the european gravy train for overpaid eurocrats is derailed, and that's coming from a "good european" - half brit, half dane and married to a frog.
Chirac will flip his lid if the French vote no and turn his guns on us. It could be fun!
However, j'ai un petit soupcon qu'un grand sac de voix pour le oui arrivera du cote des DOM-TOMs. (I suspect that a large bag of yes votes may arrive from the overseas territories).
>> Edited by Zod on Saturday 28th May 13:34
However, j'ai un petit soupcon qu'un grand sac de voix pour le oui arrivera du cote des DOM-TOMs. (I suspect that a large bag of yes votes may arrive from the overseas territories).
>> Edited by Zod on Saturday 28th May 13:34
Zod said:Correct - there are 1.8m overseas voters, some of whom live in the jungle and wouldn't be able to point to France on a map. But they will vote how their tribal leaders tell them, and the leaders will be bribed by the Government.
Chirac will flip his lid if the French vote no and turn his guns on us. It could be fun!
However, j'ai un petit supcon qu'un grand sac de voix pour le oui arrivera du cote des DOM-TOMs. (I suspect that a large bag of yes votes may arrive from the overseas territories).
It was only because of these overseas voters that Maastricht was approved in a French referendum.
Off with their heads!
Still think they've got a very big hill to climb, the French instinct (nel correct me if this is way off) is to vote Non! because in the brave new world there will be reduced protection against free markets and us wicked capitalists and our more successful economy. The Dutch just have the right instinct.
Either way it's bad news for Bliar, because he knows we'd reject it anyway.
If the French say 'Oui', Blair knows full well the rest of Europe don't really like him anyway, and it'll be like John Major and the EMU - in, out, in, out, shake it all about. Blair won't commit to anything, neither will he hold a referendum. He'll dither over Europe and Labour will split over the issue like the Tories did.
If the French say 'Non', then Blair will be absolutely well and truly shafted. Joining a European constitution without the French will be too inviting for him to resist, but he knows we wouldn't vote for it, so he'll try and force the issue without consulting the people, thus betraying his lack of democracy, which will lead to him leaving the Labour party and ushering Brown in.
If the French say 'Oui', Blair knows full well the rest of Europe don't really like him anyway, and it'll be like John Major and the EMU - in, out, in, out, shake it all about. Blair won't commit to anything, neither will he hold a referendum. He'll dither over Europe and Labour will split over the issue like the Tories did.
If the French say 'Non', then Blair will be absolutely well and truly shafted. Joining a European constitution without the French will be too inviting for him to resist, but he knows we wouldn't vote for it, so he'll try and force the issue without consulting the people, thus betraying his lack of democracy, which will lead to him leaving the Labour party and ushering Brown in.
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