March 17, 2005

THE FRENCH ARE REVOLTING:

POLL INDICATES FRENCH MAY VOTE NO TO EU CONSTITUTION (AFP, 3/17/05)

For the first time a majority of French say they plan to vote 'no' in the national referendum on the European constitution to be held in May, according to a poll to be published Friday in the daily Le Parisien.

According to the poll, carried out by the CSA institute, 51 percent intend to vote 'no' and 49 percent 'yes'. [...]

[T]he French electorate, angry over economic and labour reforms imposed by the conservative government and wary over Chirac's push to have Turkey become an EU member in the future, is in a volatile mood.

Street protests have been gathering pace in recent weeks and reached a crescendo last Thursday with a crippling national strike in a scene reminiscent of demonstrations in 1995 that eventually brought down the previous centre-right government.

Posted by Orrin Judd at March 17, 2005 9:17 PM
Comments

And just like when Denmark initially voted down its membership in the EU, the French elite will submit - and resubmit - and resubmit - until they get the result they desire. Of course, after that there will be no further voting permitted.

Reminds me of local school boards around the country that propose property tax hikes year after year to fund the needs of "the children" until they get the money they want.

Posted by: Oswald Booth Czolgosz at March 17, 2005 9:27 PM

In NJ, once the locals vote down the budget, the School Board sends it to the State Department of Education for a rubber stamp. The budget vote has a much impact as a vote in the Soviet Union circa 1950.

If the French don't back the EU Constitution, you'll have to watch out for falling bodies in the 1er, the 16eme, and the 8eme arrondisements because so much of the French elite has staked their futures on it coming to fruition.

Posted by: at March 18, 2005 8:33 AM

It would be an awesome thing. Still, the EU is designed to impoverish the rest of Europe and line French pockets, how can they rationnaly vote against it.

Posted by: Robert Schwartz at March 19, 2005 5:41 PM
« OBLIGATORY NAPOLEONIC REFERENCE: | Main | FITTING THE NOOSE: »