Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi will today call for the ambitious scope of the draft European constitution to be retained, as negotiations on the future of the failed treaty enter their final phase.

Government officials said today that Luxembourg would hold a planned referendum July 10 on the European Union’s proposed constitution.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has denied that people are confused over the ratification of the EU Constitution.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs has confirmed that Ireland will hold a referendum on the EU Constitution.

Britain has “postponed” ratification of the European Union constitution, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw announced today.

Tony Blair could carry on as British Prime Minister for another two to three years, now that plans for a European referendum have been dropped, his old ally Peter Mandelson claimed today.

French president Jacques Chirac and Germany’s chancellor Gerhard Schroeder have called on Europe’s leaders to press on with the beleaguered EU Constitution.

A majority of Danes want to continue with a planned referendum on the proposed EU constitution, despite the recent rejections of the charter by Dutch and French voters, a poll showed today.

A referendum on the EU constitution would be an “insane” waste of money, it was claimed today.

Immigration, as well as unemployment, are at the top of the agenda of France’s new government, which has the task of pulling the nation out of a crisis of confidence.

Progressive Democrats TD Mae Sexton has criticised the Government's plans to press ahead with a referendum on the proposed EU constitution.

Chastened by the voters, Dutch MPs today abandoned plans to ratify the EU constitution as European leaders started preparing for a summit to deal with a deepening crisis.

Newly named French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin kept up the task today of trying to form a new government, while a poll suggested the former diplomat with an aristocratic bearing just might have a chance with the people.

Latvia ratified the EU constitution today, with MPs overwhelmingly voting to approve its adoption a day after Dutch voters rejected it.

European leaders may have to scrap the proposed EU constitution after Dutch voters rejected it by a massive margin, voicing their concern over dwindling national identity in a rapidly expanding union and increasingly powerful bureaucrats.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has expressed disappointment with the Dutch electorate's decision to vote 'no' to the proposed EU Constitution.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern visits Luxembourg and Berlin today for crucial talks on the troubled EU Constitution.

Dutch voters rejected the European constitution today by an overwhelming 63 to 37%, according to an exit poll broadcast by Dutch NOS television.

Dutch voters today delivered their verdict on the proposed EU constitution, and polls indicated they would deepen the crisis over the future of the European Union by following France’s lead and rejecting the document.

The turnout in the Dutch referendum on the European constitution passed 30% today, the threshold set by political parties for accepting the public’s verdict as legitimate, Dutch broadcasters reported.

The Minister for Justice has indicated that if a 'No' vote is passed in the Dutch referendum, it would have serious implications for Europe.

The Dutch began voting in their first national referendum today, choosing whether to accept – or more likely, reject – a proposed European Union constitution.

As Dutch leaders made an 11th-hour plea for a “Yes” vote on the European Union constitution, polls suggested a disillusioned public will reject the charter in a referendum tomorrow by an even larger margin than the stunning “No” delivered by France.

President Jacques Chirac today appointed Dominique de Villepin, a loyalist who was France’s voice against the Iraq war, as prime minister, to head a new government in response to a humiliating referendum defeat.

French President Jacques Chirac has appointed interior minister Dominique de Villepin as the country's new prime minister, after he accepted the resignation of Jean-Pierre Raffarin.

French President Jacques Chirac has accepted prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin’s resignation.

President Jacques Chirac, jolted into action by the stinging referendum defeat of the European Union’s constitution by French voters, will announce a government shake-up today, with his beleaguered prime minister expected to be the main victim.

France’s decision to vote against joining the proposed EU constitution could have major ramifications for Ireland's vote, according to Fine Gael MEP Avril Doyle.

Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin was expected to present his resignation to President Jacques Chirac today following France’s “no” to the proposed European constitution, an aide said.

President Jacques Chirac today met his beleaguered prime minister, who was widely expected to be fired after France roundly rejected the European Union’s first constitution in a referendum that threw the Union’s future into disarray.

The Taoiseach has said that the Irish Government is committed to the EU Constitution.

Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern has vowed to press ahead with a planned Irish referendum on the proposed EU Constitution, despite France's rejection of the document.

The Irish Government has expressed regret at the French electorate's decision to reject the proposed EU constitution.

Britain's Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said he was personally saddened by the rejection of the European constitutional treaty and called for a “period of reflection”.

France this evening delivered a decisive “non” to the proposed European constitution, throwing the EU into crisis.

President Jacques Chirac has said France has rejected the European Union constitution.

France’s Interior Ministry has said the “no” vote on the EU Constitution has 57.26% with nearly 83% of ballots counted.

Voters in France faced an historic choice today as they cast ballots in a referendum on the European Union’s first constitution.

Europe’s landmark new constitution faces a make-or-break referendum in France tomorrow, when a polarised nation decides whether to boost or block the next giant leap forward in a half-century of efforts to unite the continent.

Germany has become the ninth country to approve Europe Union’s new constitution, but Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder did not stick around to celebrate after the vote: He hopped on a jet to rally voters in France.

The French were closing a tumultuous and divisive referendum campaign today about Europe’s future and their place in it, with rebellious, disgruntled voters seemingly determined to rattle the continent and President Jacques Chirac by saying “non!” to the European Union’s first constitution.

The European Union Constitution cleared its final legislative hurdle in Germany today, with the upper house of parliament overwhelmingly approving the charter, two days before French voters have their say on the document in a referendum.

The French were today wrapping up a tumultuous and divisive campaign about the future of Europe and France’s place in it.

The European Union constitution was set to clear its final legislative hurdle in Germany today as the upper house of parliament votes on the charter, two days before French voters have their say in a referendum.