Reactions from civil society and the media
Interview with Alain Lamassoure: the weaknesses of the draft Constitutional Treaty drawn up by the European Convention (Paris, 9 September 2008)
VideoIn this interview, Alain Lamassoure, French Minister for European Affairs from 1993 to 1995, Member of the European Parliament from 1989 to 1993 and since 1999, and Member of the Convention on the Future of Europe from 2002 to 2003, describes what he sees as the two main failures of the work of the Convention: the representation of the Member States in the European Commission and the system for the ratification of treaties by unanimous decision of the European Union Member States.
Interview with Jacques Delors (Paris, 16 December 2009) — Excerpt: The European Convention and the Constitutional Treaty
VideoIn this interview excerpt, Jacques Delors, President of the Commission of the European Communities from 1985 to 1995, believes that the majority of the Constitutional Treaty is taken up in the Lisbon Treaty, and feels little nostalgia for the European Convention or for any ‘constitutional' approach that gives rise to as much opposition as support.
Address given by John Monks on the European Constitution (London, 4 April 2005)
TextOn 4 April 2005 in London, John Monks, Secretary-General of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), emphasises the need for a Constitution for Europe and reaffirms the ETUC’s support for the Constitutional Treaty.
Interview with Jean-Claude Juncker on the European Constitution (France Inter, 6 April 2005)
TextOn 6 April 2005, in an interview for the French radio station France Inter, Jean-Claude Juncker, Luxembourg Prime Minister and President-in-Office of the Council of the European Union, gives his views on the debates surrounding the ratification of the European Constitutional Treaty and defends the innovative aspects of the text.
The debate surrounding the European Constitution in the Czech Republic
ImageOn 6 April 2005, in Prague, Václav Klaus, President of the Czech Republic, presents his book Say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to the European Constitution, in which he encourages his fellow citizens to find out about the constitutional text before taking a decision in a possible national referendum on its ratification in late 2006 or early 2007. However, the words ‘SAY NO TO THE EUROPEAN CONSTITUTION’ in red letters leave no doubt as to his personal opinion.
‘The so-called “Constitutional” draft European Treaty: a weapon of mass destruction of democracy’ from Le Soir (28 April 2005)
TextOn 28 April 2005, in an article for the Belgian daily newspaper Le Soir, Corinne Gobin, Director of the Groupe de recherche sur les acteurs internationaux et leurs discours (Research Group on International Actors and their Discourse — GRAID) at the Institute of Sociology of the Université Libre de Bruxelles, criticises the political consequences of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe.