{news} Fw:EU Constitution 1) European Green position; 2) The French are At It Again - The Vote On the European Union Constitution

[Justine McCabe]

Dear CT Greens,

RE: European Constitution

1) Press release with position of European Green Party
2) Analysis of the treaty and growing opposition among French progressives

Peace,
Justine
      http://www.europeangreens.org/news/press.html#07; 
http://www.europeangreens.org/info/resolutions/brussels2005.pdf
      Resolution of the European Green Party on the EU Constitutional Treaty
      17th February 2005
      In an extraordinary Council meeting of the European Green Party in 
Brussels, the European Greens said "yes" to the EU Constitution text by a 
majority of 51 votes for, 7 against and no abstentions. The European Greens 
are made up of 32 member parties. The parties that asked to register their 
"no" to the resolution were: Miljöpartiet de Gröna - Sweden, De Gronne - 
Denmark, Miljöpartiet De Gronne - Norway, Ecologists Greens - Greece.
      The GPEW, who are also committed to campaigning for 'no' to the EU 
Constitution and who made this clear during the Extraordinary Council 
Meeting, voted for the given text because of the inclusion of clause (i). 
This clause ensures and guaranties freedom to those parties who campaign for 
the 'no' position under the umbrella of the EGP.

      Grazia Francescato, Co- Spokesperson of the European Green Party, 
said: "A good majority of the Greens in Europe believe that a "yes" to the 
Constitution is of extreme importance for the development of a more 
democratic Europe. Despite its defects, the Constitution will be a step 
forward towards more transparent and people friendly European politics. With 
the adoption of the Constitution, the nightmare Nice Treaty, a result of 
behind the scenes horse-trading, is now over.

      Pekka Haavisto, Co-spokesperson of the European Green Party, added: 
"Of course this text of the Constitution can only be a first step, since the 
Constitution as it is, in particular Part III, is still far from the ideal 
democratic standards, which we Greens envisage. The job of the Greens will 
be to start reforming the Constitution text in an even more democratic 
direction, as soon as this is ratified".

      Resolution of the European Green Party on the EU Constitutional Treaty


      ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Subject: The French are At It Again - The Vote On the European 
UnionConstitution


 Revolt or Revolution?
 The French are At It Again

 By Diana Johnstone

 CounterPunch - April 26, 2005

 http://www.counterpunch.org/johnstone04262005.html

 Paris, France

 There are echoes of 1789 in the spring air. "Is this a
 revolt?" the powerful ask in consternation. "No, sire,"
 comes the historic reply, "it's a revolution".

 At least, if a revolution is a reversal of policy
 brought on by popular revolt against a self-satisfied,
 arrogant elite that has lost touch with people's lives
 and concerns, another revolution could indeed be
 brewing in France. If so, it starts in the ballot box,
 in the national referendum to be held next May 29 to
 ratify the Treaty establishing a Constitution for
 Europe.

 The French government is one of only nine out of 25
 European Union members that have dared submit the
 Constitution to a popular referendum. The political and
 media elite never doubted that voters would obediently
 vote "yes for Europe". They were victims of their own
 Europhoria, which has made them deaf to the rising
 revolt of the masses against a policy of "competition
 über alles" that subordinates all human concerns to
 "the free market". . .