Denmark wants EU constitution in place by 2009 parliamentary elections - Joshua Pantesco
Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Tuesday called for the European constitution to be in place before the 2009 European parliamentary elections. Rasmussen acknowledged that some changes to the current draft constitution may be necessary after voters in France and the Netherlands rejected the draft in 2006, but stressed that of the 27 EU member nations, 18 have ratified the text. Denmark has yet to hold a national referendum to accept or reject the draft document.
Changes or no, some parties were outraged at the prime minister's insinuation that Danes should swallow a new constitution without a referendum. 'To not hold a referendum would be fraudulent. The Danish people were promised a vote, but the government's position is no doubt due to the prime minister and the parties who support the constitution fearing a 'no' vote - and there's good reason for that,' said Pia Kjærsgaard, leader of the Danish People's Party.
Rasmussen and other EU supporters believe a new, slimmed down treaty proposal can avoid a exacerbating the diagremeents between the pro and anti-treaty camps, which would lead to a total collapse of the constitutional process.
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