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Image header Agence Europe
Europe Daily Bulletin No. 8863
THE DAY IN POLITICS / (eu) eu/constitution

Juncker afraid of "stagnation phase" during successive referendums in different Member States

Brussels, 10/01/2005 (Agence Europe) - The acting president of the European Council, Jean-Claude Juncker, said that he was concerned that the successive referendums announced on the European constitution in 2005 in several countries could slow down or block European activities. On Monday at a press conference following his government's meeting with the European Commission (see other article p 8), Juncker said that, " I see a danger of entering into a phase of stagnation and immobilisation due to a succession of referendums and parliamentary ratification procedures in the different Member States…I get the feeling that if the Commission takes a significant initiative and the presidency supports it, certain governments (involved in the referendums) could be tempted to address the presidency to explain that wisdom demands that the project in question demands that referendum campaigns are finished in the different countries…politicians do not usually like to govern when they are going to the polls. This is what I've learned…when the agreement of the different people is required for approving the constitutional treaty, I will appeal to member states to prove to citizens that we are able to govern Europe well".

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