The brand new EU Constitution seems to be in trouble in France. The number of French voters who are against the signing of the agreement is steadily growing and no amount of coaxing from Chirac is changing their minds, according to several polls in France.

http://www.eubusiness.com/afp/050413112513.rv1dr3jx

If they happen to maintain this status when the referendum takes place in May 29, what will happen to the European Union?

Nothing. As it would have happened if Spain said no to this pseudo-constitution.

It is not a constitution but an agreement between countries, therefore, if this treaty is not supported by France and/or other countries, the previous one will still be in effect. The previous treaty is the Nize's Treaty.

I'll be glad if this constitution is rejected (althought I'm very pro-european).

Fernando

I cannot imagine the EU lasting over the long haul. People are foregoing their rights by joining an organiztion such as the EU. Look at all that it dictates to each country. The EU dictates the tax policy over capital gains on real estate. They dictate capital punishment, and the list goes on and on. It is ironic that the French, of all people, are the fly in the ointment. The idea of the EU was originaly conceived by none other that Charles DeGaule after WWII. Sixty years later it is still not in full force, the way that he dreamed of it.

It is the loss of souvernty that has caused the loud cry for the US to withdraw from the UN in the past several months. I am one of many that feel it is time that we Americans reexamined our role in the UN.

Yeah desert dweller, "it dictates capital punishment". It forbids capital punishment, which most of us europeans only see as a guarantee of that our union won't include governments who see taking lives as their right.
I also think you should re-evaluate your role in the UN. You should try to remember that the "United" part indicates that you're not the only ones in it.

I am one of many that would be very happy to see the US withdraw from the UNITED Nations. The US is the prime source of funding for the UN, yet in the past several years has been on the short end of the stick many times over. If the U stands for United then that means all should pony up an equal and proprotional share, something that many countries including Sweden, seem have to forgotten.

Watching third world countries deal out their abuse, then turn around and run to the UN and insist that the US fund one of their programs with US taxpayer dollars is getting old. We the American taxpayers are fed up with it.

Capital punishment is very effective at driving home a point.

We as Americans are getting tired of being the international whipping boy, yet look who everyone runs to when they get in trouble.

Well said, Desert Dweller, I couldn't agree more.

I read that the French are likely to use the EU constitution referendum as a chance to lodge a protest vote against Jaques Chirac, with whom they're fed up apparently and would vote no primarly for this reason. Incidentally, the complete constitution in English is downloadable from the BBC website. All 325 pages of it!!

Can't agree with you Desert Dweller:

Yes once they are dead, they hardly ever commit crimes again!

ditravelphoto,

When mercy is shown, does good or evil triumph? Only evil triumphs when we deny justice to victims of violent crimes. I don't think we have to look very far to find evidence of this.

Way to go Desert Dweller. I certainly want to see the corrupt, inconsequential UN dry up and blow away.

I have for once disagree with both gazpacho and desert dweller.

I'm staunchly against death penalty. The main human right is the right to live, and a state should never have the right to decide who lives and who doesn't.

What if the court make a mistake? Why should someone pay with his life for that mistake?

Is death penalty effective lowering crime rate? Clearly no. Many countries without it have lower crime rates than the US.

As for UN I also disagree with you on this. US is the main contributor true, but has also the the biggest debt. Don't forget also that US has a permanent vote in UN, as well as the main site for UN workers (which is a good source of money for the US).

UN is a necessary forum, and it is an error, in my opìnion, to weaken it.

It is true, though, that its current administration is far from good.

As for the current topic, I think that EU is a great forum for european countries to solve their differences and work together. With EU we europeans have had the longest period of time in peace (with the aid of US).

I would want to see the EU reinforced, but not in the way stated by the current EU Constitution.

Fernando