France’s repudiation of the proposed European Union Constitution is a reminder that the populace still possesses the power to defy political elitism.
After all, it was France that earnestly promoted some form of European unification, starting in 1951 with the formation of the European Coal and Steel Community, followed by the signing of the Treaty of Rome in 1957, which in turn, evolved into the Maastricht Treaty (formally the Treaty on European Union) in 1992.
Indeed, France has remained at the forefront of efforts to mold Europe into a truly effective polity. But the May 29, 2005 vote changed so much, despite France’s assurances that its commitment to Europe remains unshaken.
Several factors have contributed to the growing doubts among the French resulting in a solid vote against the constitution, signed by European heads of governments on Oct. 29, 2004. A primary concern was the economic impact on France of the induction of new members to the European Union. On May 1, 2004 ten new members, by and large Eastern European countries, were taken into the European fold. Many of these had shattered economies and rushed to take advantage of the free flow of labor and other economic perks that accompany EU membership. While the move was good news for large businesses, ever eager to reduce overhead costs by employing cheap laborers with meager benefits and little expectations, it was a blow to an already struggling Western European job market.
Traditionally, the French economic system has been one of unconcealed governmental protectionism coupled with socialist ideals. To many French the unprecedented one-time expansion of the union and the proposed EU Constitution a few months later was a move toward unrestrained neoliberal free-market policy.
But the threat was not merely to France’s economic distinctiveness; it also threatened the country’s political prominence and efficacy.
France has for long seen itself as the center of a free and independent Europe. It has labored to demonstrate that Europe is no longer an instrument in the US foreign policy agenda. Thus, French President Jacques Chirac has toiled to achieve, not simply a united Europe, but a self-determining Europe.
Initially, the Bush administration sought to engineer a rift in the European camp. Its efforts galvanized before and immediately after its invasion of Iraq in March 2003. Te idea was to isolate and punish France for its strong anti-war stance.
But that failed miserably, since France’s position revived confidence in its government. It fashioned a strongly articulated political stand around which European masses rallied. Without question, it was the most critical and far-reaching European stand against US foreign policy since World War II.
Even though the Bush administration has adopted a cautious position on the unfolding European crisis, Washington has steadily supported the expansion of the EU to include members of those eligible to become part of the “new Europe”: Mostly former Communist nations heavily reliant on American aid. The US aim was to dilute the influence of countries such as France and Germany who, until now, refuse to send troops to Iraq.
Strangely, in a Washington Times article, entitled, “No United States of Europe”, Allan Topol mockingly celebrates the French rejection of the EU Constitution. The French vote, according to Topol, sealed the fate of a United States of Europe that would rival the US economically and even militarily. In fact, this contemptuous and congratulatory tone has marked the coverage of much the conservative mainstream media in the United States.
But what these commentators have failed to appreciate is that a French “no” is not exactly a victory for the US government and its desire to be uncontested, particularly by a supranational organization.
In fact, a Europe that is not united based on the undermining of the political sovereignty of its member states is likely to harden US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s most urgent task of dragging Europe down with it into the costly Iraq calamity.
— Ramzy Baroud is a veteran Arab-American journalist and the author of the upcoming book entitled, “A Force to Be Reckoned With: Writings on the Second Palestinian Uprising.”
