Strasbourg, 05/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - The speech by German President Johannes Rau before the European Parliament (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.3) was enthusiastically received by many MEPs, and especially among the Socialist and Green Groups
"At last, a speech that perfectly combines vision and realism", commented the Italian Green (elected in Belgium) Monica Frassoni, hoping that Chancellor Schroeder and other heads of government would listen to his appeal "in favour of a federal Europe and a democratic Constitution". In this context, Ms. Frassoni also wanted to stress "Italy's special responsibility", given that "Ms. Fontaine and President Rau have on many occasions cited Italy, and in particular President Ciampi, as the most faithful allies" in the battle for a Constitution. President Rau "offered us a clear and viable design for the future of the European Union", said, for his part, Paul Lannoye, Co-President of the Green/European Free Alliance Group, for whom, "his model would provide the European Union with greater democratic legitimacy, rendering it acceptable to the citizens".
German Social-Democrat Martin Schulz joined in with German Green Heide Ruhle, Vice-President of the Greens/EFA Group, especially welcoming the proposal of drawing up a European Constitution "within a body taking on board the positive experience of the Convention which drew up the European Charter of Fundamental Rights", and setting up "a genuine bicameral system" in which the two houses would decide on an equal footing. As for the French Socialist delegation, it especially welcomed the proposal aimed at the election of the President of the European Commission by a bicameral parliament.