Strasbourg, 13/06/2006 (Agence Europe) - Most EP political groups await a sign from the Heads of Government on the European Constitution. “We want the ratification process to continue and we encourage the Council to move along these lines”, Hans-Gert Pöttering, President of the EPP-ED Group, said. The more countries that ratify, the more chance there is of keeping the substance of the text, he stressed, hoping that, “under German presidency, we shall reach a real method for continuing”. Martin Schulz, President of the PES Group, also says it is “essential for the substance of the text to be preserved” and for it to remain “the base to support what will be done in the near future”. Graham Watson, ALDE President, said he was very sorry the Commission does not show proof of greater ambition, and said the “the Commission interprets its role as guardian of the treaties in a very minimalist fashion”. Aware of the difficulty of having the same text adopted by French and Dutch citizens, Mr Watson considers it would be useful to begin speaking of changes that appear essential (see EUROPE 9208). Monica Frassoni, Co-President of the Greens-EFA, deplored the “lack of militantism in our institution”. The EP is dragging its feet, she said, and should not wait for any Presidency or any Prime Minister. In her view, it is necessary to establish a distinction in the text between the constitutional part and the part that is not constitutional, and open serious debate with the national parliaments.