Andrew Hagen

Christopher Caldwell analyzes why France and the Netherlands voted overwhelmingly “no” to the EU Constitution, thus dooming the EU as a legitimate entity. In Caldwell’s Weekly Standard piece, he quotes the French blogger Etienne Chouard, who wrote (as translated): (*) (†)

1. A constitution has to be readable to permit a popular vote; this text is unreadable.
2. A constitution doesn’t impose a political ideology; this text is partisan.
3. A constitution is revisable; this text is locked in . . .
4. A constitution protects people from tyranny through separation of powers; this one doesn’t have real checks and balances and separation of powers.
5. A constitution is not handed down by the powerful; it is established by the people themselves, to protect them from arbitrary power, through an independent constitutional assembly elected for the purpose and disbanded afterwards; this text entrenches European institutions designed 50 years ago by the men in power.

Chouard’s site is online. (‡) Without France, the EU is a non-starter.

The next stage will be the playing out of two primary controversies. (1) What kinds of democratic input will people in the various European countries indeed have? For example, if most vitamins and dietary supplements might be banned (§), would the people have a right to be heard on this issue at the ballot box, or through their democratically elected representatives? Alternatively, would bureaucrats make the decision for the people? (2) What sorts of European integration can be accomplished without a full-fledged EU? For example, on defense, passport policies, and trade policies, Europe can stand together. On issues such as immigration, currency, and economic policy, however a national, not a regional, government would appear to be the logical choice, and preferred by most Europeans.

The euro has roared. Now it heads to oblivion.

This entry was posted on Monday, June 6th, 2005 at 22:18 and is filed under Foreign policy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.