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Sarkozy Seeks EU Constitution
Christopher S. Bentley
JBS
Thursday May 17, 2007
In his inaugural speech, newly elected French President Nicolas
Sarkozy pledged to "defend the independence of France... the
identity of France." But, ominously noting that France needed
"order and authority," the new President also vowed that
under his leadership the country would "take risks and follow
initiatives."
Apparently, the first initiative on which Sarkozy is prepared to
take a risk on behalf of his country is greater integration with
the rest of the European Union, his pledge to defend French independence
notwithstanding. According to the BBC, on his first day as President,
Sarkozy dashed off to Berlin to meet with German Chancellor Angela
Merkel, herself fresh off a meeting with President Bush during which
the two leaders announced a "Framework for Advancing Transatlantic
Economic Integration Between the United States of America and the
European Union."
An ardent supporter of transnational integration, Merkel, as the
current leader of the European Union in addition to her post as
German Chancellor, has called for a new attempt to ratify a constitution
for the EU. Earlier efforts to adopt the EU constitution failed
in 2005 when French and Dutch voters rejected the plan in national
referenda. Under Merkel's leadership, the new move to adopt the
constitution would bypass voters in an effort to secure ratification
at the parliamentary level where, it is thought, support is more
likely.
In this Merkel has an ally in Sarkozy. According to the BBC, at
his meeting with German Chancellor in Berlin, Sarkozy "called
the historic relationship between the two nations 'sacred' and said
they must 'get down to work immediately' to resolve the constitutional
crisis in the EU." As Merkel has proposed, that will take bypassing
French voters, and Sarkozy, who will bring "order and authority"
to France, is just the man to ignore the previously expressed will
of the French people. According to the BBC, the new President "has
said he wants a simplified treaty to be ratified as quickly as possible
by the French parliament."
Ironically, French voters likely believed Sarkozy might honestly
defend French independence given that he appeared to oppose the
illegal immigration that has done much harm in the country. His
rapid flight to Berlin to signal his support for Merkel's plan to
move the EU Constitution closer to adoption leaves little doubt
that, protestations to the contrary, French independence is in a
precarious state with Sarkozy at the helm.
INFOWARS:
BECAUSE THERE'S A WAR ON FOR YOUR MIND
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