Pervenche Berès: “Who’s talking about going back to Nice?”

In an interview with EURACTIV, socialist MEP Pervenche
Berès argues a French ‘non’ vote on the EU Constitution would
not undermine the years of hard work spent reaching a
consensus.

On the eve of a crucial internal poll on 1 December that
will decide on the French Socialists’ official position on the EU
Constitution, MEP Pervenche Berès explained to EURACTIV why, as a
pro-European, she is determined to vote ‘non’.

One central argument she puts forward for rejecting the draft
Constitutional Treaty is the strict conditions imposed for the
revision of the text, in what she believes was a “strategic
mistake” by EU heads of state and government.

“The crucial part of this Constitution, which is the revision
process, is applicable as of 1 November 2009. This leaves us four
years to correct the biggest and most unacceptable flaws of this
text,” she says.

She says the ‘non’ camp within the French socialists are also
asking for “more flexibility on enhanced co-operations” and for the
separation of the policies (title III) from the constitutional
provisions as such. 

As to the prospect of having the EU functioning under the Nice
Treaty – which would continue to apply in the event that
the Constitution is rejected – she brands the argument as
“intimidation” by the ‘oui’ camp. 

“Who’s talking about going back to the Nice Treaty? There is
four years of work on the table and we will take it from there”.
“It won’t be the first time in EU history that a treaty is
re-negotiated,” she argues.

Asked about her positioning vis-à-vis European socialists, who
are overwhelmingly in favour of the Constitution, she says the
debate has to be seen in the national context.

“If one denies the people the possibility of defining the
European contract, then in fact, you will favour extreme left,
extreme right, populism and abstention!”

She brushes aside critics who say that Laurent Fabius – the
leader of the ‘non’ vote in the French socialist camp – is trying
to position himself as the socialist candidate for the presidential
elections in 2007.

“Those who are presenting those accusations, I don’t think they
are short of ulterior motives either”.  “François Hollande,
because he is Party leader [secrétaire général in French],
thought he was able to define the rules and that everybody would
align on his position when everybody knows there has been deep
unease for a long time on European issues within the Socialist
Party”. 

Read the   full interview (in French)

Read more with Euractiv

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