MEPs urged to sell EU constitution to sceptical electorate

EU leaders defended their proposed constitution today against criticism that it will create a European superstate, and urged MEPs to do all they can to sell it to an increasingly sceptical public.

In addresses to the new 732 MEPs in Strasbourg, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende – the former and current holders of the EU’s rotating presidency – sought to dampen fears that the treaty would take too much power from Europe’s national governments.

“Our new constitution will equip us to meet, with confidence, the challenges that the union is facing as it continues to widen and deepen,” Ahern said.

The constitution, which aims to streamline decision making in the recently expanded EU and give it a stronger voice on the world stage, needs to be approved by the 25 member countries but faces stiff criticism.

The charter foresees the creation of a more permanent EU president to replace the six-month rotating system and an EU foreign minister with a diplomatic service. It also abolishes national vetoes in some key areas including immigration and asylum policy.

Euro-sceptic parties across the EU have branded the new constitution as going too far and have already used the recent European Parliament elections to campaign against it, saying it would create a European superstate.

The charter even took fire from the Pope because it did not include a direct reference to Europe’s Christian roots.

So far nine EU governments, including Britain, France and Denmark, are planning referendums on the text. The others will hold parliamentary votes.

Ahern, who chaired the negotiations that finalised the charter, said it was the responsibility of each of the 25 EU governments to hold “informed debates” on the text.

“We must go and explain to people what is in the constitution,” he said. “There will be genuine concerns raised, opposing voices will be raised … all fears will have to be addressed.”

Balkenende, who took over the EU presidency from Ahern on July 1, told Parliament growing Euro-scepticism had to be tackled head on as part of selling the constitution.

He said explaining the EU and the new constitution was one of his main goals as president of the EU for the next six months. “We should think about what we share in Europe, what joins us together,” he told a news conference after the session in Parliament.

Balkenende warned that the low turnout in last month’s elections for the European Parliament signalled growing mistrust and second thoughts about greater European integration.

“There is a need to show to citizens that Europe belongs to them, a work in progress, not perfect,” he said.

But criticism came from several groups charging the constitution goes too far. Others said it didn’t go far enough.

Denmark’s Jens Peter Bonde, co-leader of the parliament’s new Euro-sceptic Independence and Democracy group, called the constitution a scam.

“Never before have we seen so much power lost … from citizens,” he said. “The European Union is given more powers without the voters being asked.”

Several others, including Hans-Gert Poettering, leader of the conservative European People’s Party, said it was bad that the constitution did not include a direct reference to Europe’s Christian heritage.

“No one claims the constitution is perfect,” said European Commission President Romano Prodi. “Rejecting the constitution would in practice mean a huge setback for the European integration process.”