Leaders urge yes vote as treaty opposition rises

EUROPEAN Union leaders urged voters to back the EU constitution on Friday in a sign of growing concern in Brussels over opinion polls that show French opposition to the charter is still rising.

A new poll by research group MarketTools showed 62% of people who have decided how to vote plan to reject the constitution in a referendum on May 29, four percentage points more than the previous peak.

MarketTools surveys have generally put support for the "No" camp higher than other polls but there is no mistaking the trend because all opinion polls in the past month have pointed to defeat for the constitution.