Taxes, votes, defence and God threaten birth of Europe’s first Constitution

By Ann Cahill Europe’s leaders were upbeat and cheerful about the task when they met in Rome over the weekend, but there was no way of hiding the massive stumbling blocks that lie ahead.

As 10,000 police held a few thousand anti-globalisation protesters at bay on the streets of Rome and around the huge complex of buildings built by Mussolini 70 years ago, heads of government set out their demands.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said there are about 10 issues raised by the 25 countries and while five of them can be resolved through discussion he said five were going to be quite difficult.