Unexpected Detours

[jseal]

Now that the French have voted down the EU constitution, and the Dutch seem ready to do so on Wednesday, where now for Europe?

It seems that the people of France, and perhaps Europe are unpersuaded by their leaders.

Serious stuff!

[Oldfart]

When have the French ever gone with the flow on the first attempt?

[Lilith]

I think it's beautiful that they disagreed and voted to show it.

[rabbit]

Now that the French have voted down the EU constitution, and the Dutch seem ready to do so on Wednesday, where now for Europe?

It seems that the people of France, and perhaps Europe are unpersuaded by their leaders.

Serious stuff!

Perhaps the Frenchies just want anarchy....

Pass the Freedom Fries. :p


rabbit

[Oldfart]

Nah, the French want all the benefits of the Common Market without the political

interference that a truly political union can bring.

Europe Unie?

[fredchabotnick]

This is the problem that they're going to have to face. To be a truly unified body, they're going to have to get used to the fact that nationalism will have to be submerged. That's not going to come easily. Or quickly.

[jseal]

The EU seems to be having more success at broadening the Union than they are having at deepening it. It will become increasingly difficult to achieve consensus on EU goals. Good luck!

[Lilith]

Same old issues. I am reminded that the US had similar struggles in becoming united states, except they had the privacy of the Constitutional Convention in which to hammer out all the nitty gritty details. Now days such meetings are impossible. So we will all be a party to the public struggles.

[jseal]

Same old issues...

Lilith,

Indeed so! Trying to get - and keep - humans organized makes herding cats seem easy! :)

[Lilith]

LOL the problem is some don't feel they need organizing:D

[jseal]

The deputy leader of France's Socialist Party, Laurent Fabius, has been removed from his position. He broke ranks with the party and was among the leading figures who campaigned against the EU constitution.

France’s "No" vote in a referendum last weekend, coupled with the following Dutch rejection, has effectively killed the treaty.

The Socialists voted today to oust Mr Fabius from the party leadership. The members also voted out Mr Fabius' supporters, replacing them on the leadership committee.

[PalaceGuard]

jseal - That's just the beginning. The EU's currency, the Euro, is next.

[jseal]

PalaceGuard,

It seems that the EU is having a bit of a mid-life crisis! With Chirac attempting to refocus the voters’ attentions away from his referendum embarrassment, and TB sticking the CAP in his face, there looks to be much entertainment coming from that side of the pond this summer! :D

They still have a ways to go before their disagreements are as rancorous as here in the States, thank heavens.

[PalaceGuard]

Jseal – Yup! The EU’s politicos have their work cut out for them! I loved the political theatre at the end of the summit, where the new entrants “each poorer than the next” “offered to cut their receipts” if it would “help get the budget passed!”

I forget who it was – one of their founding fathers back in the 50s – who suggested that the EEC could turn into “the united States of Europe!”

I’d say they are well on their way to that goal!