Anti-Constitution campaign to be launched in autumn

MEPs from the new eurosceptic group 'Independence and Democracy' will form a European coalition for a 'no' vote in referenda on the Constitution on 11 September, French MEP Philippe de Villiers told reporters on 21 July. According to him, other MEPs are expected to join the new 32 strong eurosceptic group 'Independence and Democracy' and its campaign for a 'no'. "We want to give everyone the right to love their country and remain sovereign," said de Villiers.

De Villiers unveiled the campaign's slogan for his country: "France, je chéris ton 'non'" [France, I cherish your 'no']. The idea is that, for other countries, the word in the slogan referring to the name of the country will be adapted accordingly.

Opinion polls in France currently point to a 'yes' vote, but French voters are usually very divided on European issues and sometimes use referenda to punish the incumbent government rather than answering the question. The much-awaited decision of EU leaders in December on whether or not to start accession negotiations with Turkey might influence the vote one way or another. While French President Jacques Chirac has reassured Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of his country's support during the latter's recent visit to France, some senior French politicians have opposed Turkish membership and polls show most French want it to stay out.

One of the main unknowns is whether the Socialists, who won the recent local and European elections will put their weight behind the Constitution. Socialist party Secretary General François Hollande, said that "the response to a referendum held at the end of 2005 cannot be known today" and warned that Chirac should not take the party's support for granted. He stressed that the socialist position will depend on "the precise question, the personal involvement of Jacques Chirac, the social situation and on the uses to which the result will be put" (See

Other countries that will ask their people's opinion on the new Treaty are Britain, Ireland, Denmark, Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Ratification of the new Treaty will begin following its signing in Rome on 29 October 2004.