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Europe
Chirac, Schroeder back EU constitution
2005-06-06
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and France's President Jacques Chirac have both affirmed their commitment to the EU's proposed constitution despite decisive rejections by French and Dutch voters. Schroeder's spokesman, Bela Anda, also underlined on Sunday a new willingness to show flexibility with the EU's future budget and said that "everyone has to move" on the issue. "We cannot drop the idea of Europe because there are difficulties," Anda said after the meeting at Schroeder's office. "We must use this development to make very, very clear that Europe is more than short-term voting behaviour - this is about creating lasting peace, bringing about prosperity and freedom."

Chirac's spokesman, Jerome Bonnafont, added that "one country cannot decide on its own the fate of a treaty negotiated and signed by 25 states. Each member state must be able to express itself in its turn". Ten countries have ratified the EU constitution, most of them in parliamentary votes - among them Germany.
Posted by:Fred

#14  short-term voting behaviour

That's rich. Does he mean that only a series of votes taken over a long period of time count? Would he be making the same comment if the vote had been "yes"?

Or apply it (no, don't) to US elections: "John Kerry declared today that he is in fact the President, despite the short-term voting behavior of 60,000,000 Americans."

Posted by: Matt   2005-06-06 14:11  

#13  That would be why Schroeder is holding his nose.
Posted by: Tom   2005-06-06 14:09  

#12  Had they wanted, they could have changed that provision in the German Constitution with a 2/3 majority in the Bundestag and Bundesrat.
It was a lot easier to hide behind the Basic Law, of course.
Chirac and Schroeder can back a corpse, but we won't back them. It's over. Or, in the words of the often quoted Dr McCoy:

It's dead, Jim
Posted by: True German Ally   2005-06-06 13:31  

#11  Oooopppppsss. Not cheaper, more available. The pricing set the price of bread to low. No bread, lottsa cake tho.

Posted by: Shipman   2005-06-06 12:11  

#10  Cake was cheaper than bread in Pre-revolutionary France, thanks to a central pricing system.
Posted by: Shipman   2005-06-06 12:10  

#9  Yeah, I'd be more worried at Germany's economy teetering on the verge of depression if I were a German.
Posted by: bigjim-ky   2005-06-06 12:07  

#8  Mojo, the German Constituion forbids referenda. Granted, the same result could have been achieved with a survey, had the government wanted to know the opinion of the peepul, but let's not blame Schroeder for this one, when there is so much else he is legitimately culpable of.
Posted by: trailing wife   2005-06-06 12:05  

#7  Dear, foolish, naive Marie Antoinette never did say, "Let them eat cake." That was, if I recall correctly, Madame la Pompadour, mistress of her grandfather-in-law. Marie and her courtiers liked to play at shepherds and shepherdesses... although I can't imagine they enjoyed the simple life when the Revolution thrust it upon them.
Posted by: trailing wife   2005-06-06 12:02  

#6  Yeah, the Krauts didn't have the stones to actually ask their people what they thought. Typical.
Posted by: mojo   2005-06-06 11:07  

#5  Louis the XVI affirmed his commitmment to the Monarchy despite growing discontent of many of his countrymen. When asked her opinion, the Queen Marie Antoinette, the youngest and most beautiful daughter of Francis I and Maria Theresa, Emperor and Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, formally said 'let them eat cake'.
Whoooooooosh! CHOMP!!!
Posted by: Pheregum Spairong2458   2005-06-06 08:25  

#4  These guys are Democrats, they may not admit it, but who else would totally ignore a popular vote.
Posted by: bigjim-ky   2005-06-06 08:19  

#3  The outgoing German Chancellor and the outgoing French President are no doubt trying to shore up their future positions in the Brussels Buffoonery.
Posted by: Tom   2005-06-06 08:11  

#2  What option do they have? They, and their constitution, are finished (fini).

Yes, Jock goes to jail and Gearhead takes a powder.

Oui?
Posted by: Captain America   2005-06-06 06:04  

#1  Way to increase your popularity, guys.
Posted by: someone   2005-06-06 01:50  

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