Brussels, 27/05/2005 (Agence Europe) - The Bundesrat (highest chamber of the German parliament) ratified the European Constitution on Friday, thus completing the parliamentary procedure for Germany to ratify the text, which will make it the ninth Member State to have approved the Constitution (after Spain, Slovenia, Lithuania, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Italy and Greece). On 12 May, the Bundestag voted massively in favour of the text.
In the view of the European Commission, the German ratification is “a very powerful signal” to the French and Dutch citizens, who are getting ready to take position on the referendum on the Treaty, said Vice-President Margot Wallström on Friday. Nine countries representing 220 million people- or 49% of the total population of the EU- have now adopted the text, which was described by Ms Wallström's spokesperson as a “very important reason why the ratification process should go forward until all countries have given their opinion”. “The voice of nearly 50% of the European Union cannot be ignored”.