EU Observer
May 23 2005
French No camp rallies ahead of final countdown
23.05.2005 – 09:58 CET | By Lucia Kubosova and Elitsa Vucheva
EUOBSERVER / PARIS – On the last weekend before France’s crucial
referendum, both the right and left wings of the no camp organised
mass gatherings in Paris to express their opposition to the EU
constitution.
Drawing their supporters to different parts of the city on the same
day, the anti-constitution campaigners presented their arguments
against the current government and president Jacques Chirac, as well
as what they see as the neo-liberal character of the new EU treaty.
At a rally of around 5,000 on Saturday (21 May), Philippe de
Villiers, the leader of the Movement for France, criticised the
document for its potential damage to the sovereignty of the country
via a transfer of powers to Brussels.
His campaign also centered around the opposition to Turkey’s
membership of the EU, calling the treaty the “Turkish constitution”.
Vive l’Europe des Nations
The multimedia show in Paris was attended by French citizens of
different ages and from various parts of the country.
“I am not yet totally convinced by any side, but I think the whole EU
is not very democratic, and the constitution is not going to change
it. We should build new and better insitutions, under a different
document – not so complicated that no one understands it,” said
Antoine, a student of 22.
Several eurosceptic MEPs from different countries at the rally also
rejected the document.
They called on the French to “save Europe from the constitution” –
especially for citizens of countries where there is to be no
referendum.
“European bureaucrats are trying to bully us in the Czech republic,
Holland, Poland, suggesting we would be alone to say no. But they
could hardly threaten the greatest of the nations”, declared Czech
MEP Vladimir Zelezny, followed by great applause, despite giving his
speech in English.
Nigel Farage, the British co-leader of the eurosceptic group in the
European Parliament, which financially supported Mr de Villiers’
campaign, said he might have different reasons for opposing the
treaty, but that the “French non would be the first step towards a
Europe of nations, which all of us want to achieve.”
No to France becoming a “bundesland”
Philippe de Villiers, given a star’s welcome by his supporters,
accused the government of not telling the truth about the
constitution and of “yes-hammering”.
“The yes camp has 65 per cent of air-time, whereas we have 35 per
cent. The no has to be really strong to resist”, he said.
Mr de Villiers’ key argument was that the constitution would make
Turkish membership of the EU possible.
The no leader claimed that Turkey and the constitution were “the same
thing”, as Turkey has put its signature under the final version of
the document.
Referring to the Turkish refusal to recognise the Armenian genocide,
Philippe de Villiers addressed French Armenians, saying that a French
no “will also be a no of honour. We will never accept that Turkey
joins Europe because of you”.
He also said that Europe “does not protect us anymore, and costs us
too much”, while the constitution would be a danger for French
sovereignty, for transforming the country into a “Bundesland or a
region”.
Echoing Mr de Villiers’ words, Françoise, a pensioner for a couple of
years, told EUobserver “I do not support a federal Europe. I say no
to the dilution of France, no to Turkey, and no to Chirac”.
The final countdown
Mr de Villiers entered the room to the sound of “Final countdown” – a
song by the 1980s band Europe – and ended the meeting with the French
national anthem, rejecting the yes camp’s claims that a French no
would be dramatic and would lead both Europe and France into a
crisis.
“If there was no a plan b, Chirac would not have chosen to have a
referendum”, Mr de Villiers told his public.
“France is a European power, it is not possible to envisage Europe
without France. Our no will save a European Europe”, rather than
“create a Euro-Asian Europe”, he added.