French vote for status quo

Washington Times:

French voters shook the European political establishment yesterday by issuing a resounding "non" to a proposed constitution for the continent, throwing into question plans for further integration.
Even though officials of the European Union insisted that the ratification process would continue in the other member states, the French rebuff could prove fatal for the 470-page treaty that was meant to make the union run more smoothly.
Apparently the French socialist thought the new union would be used to reform the French pension system which badly needs it. That was apparently more important to them than Chicac's vision of a European super power to comepete with the US. This is consistent with European socialism as a whole where defense spending has suffered as social programs suck money out of the economy.

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