George Will on EU

[Baashi]

Sovereignty hangs on in Europe

George Will (Washington Post columnist - Conservative)

May 29, 2005

 

 

WASHINGTON -- The European Union, which has a flag no one salutes and an anthem no one knows, now seeks ratification of a constitution few have read. Surely only its authors have read its turgid earnestness without laughing, which is one reason why the European project is foundering. On Sunday in France, and Wednesday in Holland, Europe's elites -- political, commercial and media -- may learn the limits of their ability to impose their political fetishes on restive and rarely consulted publics.

 

The European project is the transformation of ``Europe'' from a geographic into a political denotation. This requires the steady drainage of sovereignty from national parliaments, and the ``harmonization'' of most economic and social policies. But if any of the EU's 25 member nations rejects the proposed constitution -- 11 have ratified it or are in the process of doing so -- it shall not come into effect. And if French voters in Sunday's referendum reject it, Dutch voters will be even more likely to do so in their nation's first referendum in 200 years.

 

Source

 

Considering the French vote, what is the prospect of EU becoming a counterweight to US hegemony as Chirac have wished? Will Tony go ahead and hold referundum even though the constitutional treaty has been rejected and made Null by French saying NO?

[shyhem]

Baashi

I say Zero prospect,E.U has a long way to go before they can stand shoulder to shoulder with US.The whole social welfare state thing is really draging their azz down.Plus the european are not as patriotic and hard working as the americans.

[Viking]

Baashi,

Blair will probably hold back and not want the people to decide anytime soon (because people will at the moment vote no like the French and the Dutch). The dream of a unified EU with a single currency, policy and parliament does not seem to have any chance of materialising antime soon.

 

 

Somerican,

Patriotism is actually frowned upon in Europe. People in Europe love life (and don't dream of welth like the Americans). That is why in France and other countries, people are fighting to work less than 8 hours a day, they want to have more time to live a more "fulfilling" life.