Chirac backs French vote on Turkey

Turkey’s accession to the EU will be subject to
a referendum in France, where public opinion is mostly against
Ankara joining the EU club. 

President Jacques Chirac said on 1
October that France would decide in a referendum
whether it wants Turkey to join the European
Union, a potential obstacle to the
Muslim-majority country’s bid. He has asked the
government to prepare a constitutional amendment that
would require a referendum to be held whenever the EU
wants to take in a new member. The clause would not
apply to the next three member states – Romania,
Bulgaria and Croatia – who are are expected
to join in 2007.

All member states will have to approve Turkey’s
accession to the EU, so France’s president Jacques Chirac
has in effect given the French people the power of veto –
at an unspecified time – on Turkish
accession. According to a recent opinion poll,
56 per cent of the French public say that they are
opposed to Turkish entry with only 36 per cent in favour.
Chirac’s support for a referendum is aimed at preventing
French anxiety about Turkish membership influencing
another referendum, on the EU Constitution, which will be
held next year.

This announcement came just days before the Commission
publishes a report stating whether Turkey has
fulfilled the criteria to start accession negotiations.
In its report to be published on 6 October,
the Commission is expected to recommend that the EU
opens membership talks with Turkey. The
recommendation is to serve as as a guide for EU
leaders to make a formal decision on opening
negotiations with Ankara on 17 December. 

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