Strasbourg, 11/05/2005 (Agence Europe) - At a meeting with a group of journalists in Strasbourg on Tuesday, the President of the European Parliament's committee on foreign affairs, Elmar Brok, said that in France, things are starting to move towards a “yes” to the European Constitution. Mr Brok spoke of the positive role played by the commitment of political figures such as Lionel Jospin, the subscription of many artists and intellectuals to the “yes”, and also the fact that there is no “common basis” for the “noes”. What can Le Pen have in common with Fabius, the CDU MEP asked. If France says no, “it will strike at its heart”, he said. Elmar Brok admitted that he was more concerned about the referendum in the Netherlands (on 1 June): the campaign has not really got underway and society is divided, he said. In Germany, Mr Brok predicted, there will be a strong majority in the Bundestag next Thursday (over 90%) and in the Bundesrat on 27 May (two days before the French referendum). Criticising the “populism” of various German politicians on the European Constitution (particularly CSU MPs- Gauweiler and Müller to name but two), Mr Brok pointed out that the Constitution would give more power to national parliaments, including the right to “yellow card” proposed European legislation. For this reason, Eurosceptics should be all for the Constitution, he joked. He warned anyone who believes that it might be possible to apply certain parts of the Constitution, even if the “noes” have it, that everything which represents the genuine “added value” of this Constitution (the Charter of Rights, extension of qualified majority, for example) demands ratification. Hans-Gert Pöttering, the president of the EPP-ED group, stressed the importance of reminding the electorate of the basic advantages the Constitution will bring them: the affirmation of values and rights, and the recognition of the various “identities” which make up Europe. In his memoirs, Konrad Adenauer said that his greatest disappointment was the failure of the European Defence Community (EDC) in 1954 before the Assemblée Nationale, Mr Pöttering said, adding that he hoped that they were not heading for the same disappointment with the European Constitution. Graham Watson, the President of the ALDE group, announced that he is to campaign for the yes vote in France next week, alongside François Bayrou, UDF President. He is convinced that one of the reasons the “noes” have gained so much ground is the lack of explanations on Europe from the French leaders, so that people believe that their government can single-handedly guarantee the security and prosperity they aspire to, said Mr Watson.