01/09/2004 (Agence Europe) - While European CSU member Markus Ferber congratulated Chancellor Schröder for having changed his mind and accepting the idea of a referendum in Germany on the European Constitution (yesterday's EUROPE, p.3), his colleague from the CDU, Elmar Brok, voiced criticism against the initiative. If there is a referendum, he warns in a press release, the "EU Constitution would have greater legitimacy than fundamental German law". Mr Brok reproaches the German government for wanting, in such announcements, to distract attention from demonstrations against social reform recommended by the Hartz Report. Differences between the brother parties CDU and CSU over ratification of the European Constitution by referendum in Germany are well known.