Brussels, 22/04/2005 (Agence Europe) - The German social democrat Jo Leinen, the President of the Constitutional Committee of the European Parliament, has reacted vociferously to rumours in the press on the possible impact of a victory for the “no” vote in the French referendum on 29 May on the European Constitution (some countries might be inclined to suspend the ratification process even if they are not saying so officially, whereas Luxembourg, supported by Germany along others, would immediately publish an appeal to the Member States to continue the process). Any interruption would be “totally unjust and undemocratic vis-à-vis those peoples or parliaments who have already decided to adopt the Constitution”, said an indignant Mr Leinen.
In addition to this we should recall that, in legal terms, a declaration annexed to the Constitution states: “If, two years after the signature of the Treaty establishing the Constitution, four fifths of the Member States have ratified it and one or more Member States have encountered difficulties (…), the matter will be referred to the European Council”.