Hungary ratifies EU Constitution

Hungary has become the second EU member state to sign up
to the new EU Constitution by a parliamentary vote on 20 December
2004.

All 25 states signed the Constitution October 2004 but each must
ratify it before it can become binding. The majority have decided,
as Hungary, to do this by parliamentary vote but at least nine
member states are to hold referenda. Four states have not yet
decided on the method of ratification. Of the referenda states,
Spain is scheduled to be the first in February 2005, followed by
the Netherlands and Luxembourg later in the year. 

While the process in Hungary was simple – the vote was carried
by 322 votes to 12 – it will not be so in all member states.
 There is expected to be much opposition to the Constitution
in eurosceptic states such as the UK and Denmark. If just one state
fails to ratify the Constitution, it will fail and the future of
the newly expanded EU could be in jeopardy.

The new  Constitution is designed to streamline the
workings of the EU institutions to cope with the increased
membership. It provides for changes to the decision-making process,
allowing for increased majority voting and more powers for the
European Parliament.

Two states have now given their backing to the EU Constitution
and both are new members. Hungary is one of
the ten states which joined the Union in May 2004 as
is Lithuania, which was first to ratify the Constitution in
November 2004.

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