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Europe This Week
The French Europe
If France approves the EU constitution, French Yes campaigners will have provided British Eurosceptics with plenty of ammunition for the UK's poll next year.
Britain's Vote No campaign has kindly rounded up some choice quotes from French ministers:
* "[The EU Constitution] embodies the French vision of Europe. A 'yes' vote will reinforce the French model in Europe, a 'no' vote will weaken it." - Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin (AP, 29 and 30 March)
* "We have finally obtained this 'Europe à la française' that we have awaited for so long. This constitutional treaty is an enlarged France. It is a Europe written in French." - Justice Minister Dominique Perben (Times and AFP, 4 April)
* "A 'no' vote is an open door to an Anglo-Saxon Europe. A 'yes' vote is the advent of a Europe à la française! The constitutional treaty is inspired by our model." - Minister for Transport and Tourism Giles de Robien (Le Figaro, 6 April)
* "To vote 'yes' is to show one's attachment to the French model and one's refusal of the Anglo-Saxon or Polish model." - Budget Minister and government spokesperson Jean-François Copé (Le Monde, 30 March)
* "The European Constitution consecrates the French vision of Europe. This Constitution marks the coming of the "political Europe" that France has always wanted." - Europe Minister Claudie Haigner=E9 (Le Figaro, 6 April)
* "This treaty carries the French hallmark. [it has] all the elements to allow us to defend, in the years to come, our vision of society, our vision of Europe." - Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin (Nouvel Observateur, 22 March)
* "This Constitution allows the French ambition to assert itself in the big Europe that General de Gaulle hoped and prayed for." - Education Minister François Fillon (Le Figaro, 7 April)
* "Saying 'no' to the treaty today would be saying 'no' to French Europe, and therefore, in a way, saying 'yes' to a Europe that we don't like - to an ultraliberal Europe." - Education Minister Fran=E7ois Fillon (AP, 25 March)
* "This treaty is everything except a liberal treaty." - Employment Minister Jean-Louis Borloo (Le Figaro, 31 March)
*(The EU Constitution is)"the crowning of what one could call the French vision for Europe, against the Anglo-Saxon vision." - UMP party website
Fortress Europe
Much of the quotes above stem from France's government's fear that voters will oppose the constitution. Unlike in Britain, where much opposition to the constitution comes from the centre and right, in France the most vociferous opponents of the treaty are left-leaning. The Parti Communiste, and associated extremist leftist groups are campaigning for a no, as are many unions. A large number of centre-left Socialist Party members have defied party policy and are campaigning against the treaty.
Opinion polls show that the No camp has a narrow lead.
While the desire to give the government a sound kicking motivates many no campaigners, the illusion that the EU constitution will herald the end of France's social model and the beginning of a Europe-wide Anglo-Saxon market economy has provided the main focus for the treaty's opponents. The government has been desperate to play down these claims, even to the extent of dumping its own reform policies in order to allay anti-liberal fears.
There is definitely a feeling in France that the EU's role should be to shelter Europe's citizens from the big bad world outside - and even within the 25 member states.
Foreign minister Michel Barnier admitted that in France, there is "a feeling that Europe is not providing enough protection against the risks of globalisation."
This concern prompted President Chirac to obstruct the progress of the EU's services directive, designed to open European services to competition. The directive, known in France as the "Bolkenstein Directive" after the commissioner behind it, provoked an hysterical reaction in France, despite the fact that French representatives - including Barnier himself - had been among the commissioners who approved it unanimously.
Barnier also attacked Britain's EU rebate - a recurrent theme in Paris' statements on the EU these days - while refusing to accept criticism of the crooked, illiberal and grotesque Common Agricultural Policy, of which France is the major beneficiary.
Ugly Academics
In Britain, the Association of University Teachers is considering a ban on working with Israeli academics who refuse to denounce their nation.
Melanie Phillips gives this totalitarian outrage the treatment it deserves.
Incidentally, EURSOC is no expert on this issue but aren't British university teachers state employees? And surely there is something in British law to prevent state employees from behaving in such a discriminatory manner? Correct us if we're wrong - usual address above.
