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Q: European Union Constitution ( Answered 5 out of 5 stars,   1 Comment )
Question  
Subject: European Union Constitution
Category: Reference, Education and News > Current Events
Asked by: isaact-ga
List Price: $50.00
Posted: 11 Oct 2005 18:56 PDT
Expires: 10 Nov 2005 17:56 PST
Question ID: 579139
What's the contoversy surrounding the European Union?
Why did voters in a number of E.U. countries reject the constitution?
Why, in general, was it supported by the governments of those
countries that rejected it?
Answer  
Subject: Re: European Union Constitution
Answered By: easterangel-ga on 11 Oct 2005 21:14 PDT
Rated:5 out of 5 stars
 
Hi! Thanks for another question.

You can read about the general controversies or contentions about the
EU constitution in our first link. Mainly here are the different
points:

- Length and complexity
- Qualified majority voting
- Union law and national law
- Trappings of statehood
- Lack of democracy
- Secularism
- Militarism
- Economic policy
- Human rights
- Exclusions

SOURCE: ?Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Constitution#Points_of_contention


So far only two countries have rejected the EU Constitution. These are
France and Denmark.

-------------------------------
FRANCE

Reasons for Rejection:

- ?On the left, many expressed the view that the Constitution would
enforce a neoliberal economic model.?

- ?critics sought to link the Constitution to the proposed directive
on services in the internal market, which is widely opposed in
France.? (See reference to this directive:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directive_on_services_in_the_internal_market

- ??on the grounds that France should not be part of any institution
whose decisions can take precedence over what is decided in France at
a national level.?

- Possible inclusion of Turkey to the EU.

SOURCE: ?French referendum on the European Constitution?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_referendum_on_the_European_Constitution 


- ?One reason is that the government and president are unpopular -
unemployment is running at 10% and the economy is in the doldrums.?

- ?On the left, many voters believe that the constitution would create
an ultra-free market economy within the EU, that would undermine
traditional French levels of social protection, and allow countries
with cheaper labour costs to take French jobs.?

- ?Some voters were also troubled by the decline of France's influence
in the EU, as a result of enlargement??

SOURCE: ?Q&A: French EU referendum?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4483817.stm 


***********
General Reasons for Support:

- ?Supporters of the Constitution from the left sought to emphasise
that the treaty incorporates a Charter of Fundamental Rights and thus
helped to secure the future of the European social model.?

SOURCE: ?French referendum on the European Constitution?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_referendum_on_the_European_Constitution   


- ?French President Jacques Chirac warned voters before the poll that
France's influence in the EU would be severely weakened if they
rejected the constitution.?

SOURCE: ?Q&A: French EU referendum?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4483817.stm



------------------------
DENMARK

Reasons for Rejection:

- ?30 per cent of the Constitution's opponents used the referendum as
an opportunity to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the
government.?

- Fears of Turkey and other Eastern European countries entering the EU
also contributed to the NO vote.

- ?30 per cent of the Constitution's opponents used the referendum as
an opportunity to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the
government.?

- ??fears of an increase in immigration, or an outsourcing of jobs to
new member states.?

- ?Furthermore, the Netherlands had not held a referendum on the euro,
and amidst concern that its adoption had led to an increase in the
cost of living.?

- ?48 per cent thought the new Constitution was worse than the existing treaties? ?

- ?44 per cent cited the declining influence of the Netherlands in the EU?

- Most were turned off by the aggressive style of campaigning for the
EU constitution.

SOURCE: ?Dutch referendum on the European Constitution?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_referendum_on_the_European_Constitution


- ?Dutch voters complained that the EU?s big countries were already
too strong and that certain provisions of the constitution would
increase their power even more.?

SOURCE: ?The European Union?s Constitution?
http://www.usembassy.it/pdf/other/RS21618.pdf  


***********
General Reasons for Support:
 
- Possibilities of war (Minister of Justice, Piet Hein Donner)

- ?The Minister for Economic Affairs, Laurens Jan Brinkhorst, said
that ?the lights would go off? in the case of a rejection and that The
Netherlands would become ?the Switzerland of Europe.??

SOURCE: ?Dutch referendum on the European Constitution?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_referendum_on_the_European_Constitution 


-----------------------------------
GENERAL REASONS WHY EU MEMBERS SUPPORTED THE CONSTITUTION:

- Increased Parliamentary Powers
- Simplified Voting Procedures
- Exit Clause for Member Countries
- A New Solidarity Clause 
- Build Common Defense Policy.

SOURCE: ?The European Union?s Constitution?
http://www.usembassy.it/pdf/other/RS21618.pdf  


Search terms used:  
EU constitution French France Dutch Denmark government campaign
rejection reasons issues

I hope these links would help you in your research. Before rating this
answer, please ask for a clarification if you have a question or if
you would need further information.
                                                          
                              
Regards,                              
Easterangel-ga                              
Google Answers Researcher
isaact-ga rated this answer:5 out of 5 stars
Thank you again Easter <3 If you're able to answer my other question
by tonight, i'll throw in a tip :D

Comments  
Subject: Re: European Union Constitution
From: sorwin-ga on 14 Jan 2006 09:14 PST
 
If you accept the addage that "the basis of all law is physical
force", then you might see the contradiction in which the European
Union seeks to impose new laws upon member states in the absence of
such physical force.

So there is a conflict between the argued advantages of EU laws, or
even membership of the EU itself, versus the loss or partial loss of
national sovereinty of member states or prospective member states.

Also, in another question you have used the word "England" when you
probably mean the UK or possibly Britain.  This might cause you
problems in researching the subject on various Search Engines.

The subject of the EU is vast indeed and very controversial in western
Europe.  Opinion throughout the EU occupies a wides spectrum.  On one
end are the ultra-nationalists of various countries who detest the EU,
on the other end are the ideologists who strive to impose a new
civilisation in Europe whether people want it or not.

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