French Government Portal: New Year’s speech: President Chirac

French Government PortalNew Year’s speech: President Chirac

After receiving the traditional New Year’s greeting from the government on 3 January, President Chirac called on its members to focus on “new projects that are vital for the future.” President Chirac also called 2005 a “decisive” year for Europe with the launch of the “constitutional process leading to a referendum next spring” on the European Union’s constitutional treaty. In a speech to the “Forces Vives de la Nation” (a gathering of key representatives of French civil society, insurance and business associations, trade unions and employers’ associations) he outlined the government’s economic and social objectives for 2005.