European Constitution - They won't let it die
WORKERS, NOV 2005 ISSUE
The leaders of the main groups in the European Parliament are refusing to bury the European Constitution. Socialist Party head Martin Schulz says, "I find it totally unacceptable that the President of the Commission has just told us: that's it, for me, the Constitution is not a priority, I have other fish to fry."
Schulz says the ratification process had "not yet run its course in several countries", and that the role of Jose Barroso "should be to take the lead over those who are for the Constitution rather than putting it in a drawer."
Head of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats group Graham Watson says, "I think it is too early to bury the Constitution."
Leader of the European People's Party Hans-Gert Poettering says, "This Constitution is still on the table", and all those who think that this Constitution is "no longer topical" are wrong.
Poettering says it "will not be able to be applied in the days, or in the coming weeks, but we hope that after the French presidential election we will be in a new situation."
Agence Europe quotes Poettering saying, "I am perfectly convinced that the only way that we will be able to react to this crisis of identity is if we affirm the values which unite us, in the European Constitution."
• Two MEPs, Alexander Stubb and Iñigo Méndez de Vigo, wrote in the Financial Times calling on the UK presidency of the EU to revive the Constitution: "The Constitution will not enter into force in its current form but it is far from dead. Here is a five-step plan on how to do it. The plan is composed of periods for reflection in 2005, analysis in 2006, preparation in 2007, revision in 2008 and ratification in 2009...The British presidency must show leadership and put the Constitution back on track."