French PM hopes EU will wrap up constitution in October

Dominique de Villepin

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The French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, whose popularity in France has recently taken a nosedive, was careful with his comments during a short visit to Finland on Monday. De Villepin was cautiously optimistic when suggesting that the solution to the EU constitution crisis might be found in the coming months during Finland's EU Presidency.
      The European Union was driven into a state of paralysis a year ago, when the French dismissed the EU constitution in a referendum.
      De Villepin, who became Prime Minister after the referendum, emphasized in Helsinki that Europe has to find the ways and means of cooperation, while responding to citizens' fears and doubts. "I hope we will see some real progress in the coming months", de Villepin said.
      The Prime Minister of one of the EU giants did not specify in the press conference the ways with which the Union might tackle the crisis, or whether Finland should actively seek to solve the constitution issue. De Villepin also refrained from putting forward any great visions or practical solutions.
     
The EU constitution has not been discussed for a year, and the subject is expected by many to remain in hibernation past the French Presidential election next spring.
      De Villepin also refrained from thanking or criticising the Finnish government and Parliament's attempts to ratify the EU constitution even this summer.
      "Every member state has the right to react to the constitution", he stated simply.
      The French Prime Minister's caution with his statements is understandable. According to the French media, the countdown for his departure from office has already begun. Some believe that de Villepin may not even last until the autumn.
      De Villepin's year in office has been riddled with failures. Last autumn Paris suffered from riots and burning cars, and the spring's street protests forced the Prime Minister to back down on the proposed legislation on job security for young people. In the past few weeks, meanwhile, France has been shaken by the so-called "Clearstream" scandal, in which the right-wing de Villepin has been accused of vilifying his rival the Minster of the Interior Nicolas Sarkozy.
      De Villepin, who is denying the accusations, has refused to step down. Despite the fact that his support has dropped down to a mere 20 percent, he is still thought to fancy a shot at running for president.
     
A former diplomat, a poet, and a self-confessed admirer of Napoleon, de Villepin has never tested his popularity in an election.
      The Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) described to his French colleague some of the focal points of Finland's turn at the EU Presidency. De Villepin, in turn, brought out issues that would be of French interest, such as European energy policy and competitiveness.
      Finland received thanks from de Villepin as a pioneer in nuclear energy. The Prime Minister visited Olkiluoto, where Finland's fifth nuclear reactor is being built by a French company, Areva-Framatome. Olkiluoto 3 is the first Franco-German European Pressurised Reactor (EPR) to be built, with a second to follow in Flamanville in France.
      Earlier in the day, the visiting leader had been met outside Parliament by Greenpeace activists protesting against nuclear power and charging that the current project - which is several months behind schedule - does not allow for maximum-credible-accident or terror attack scenarios.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  President Halonen: EU constitution being used as tool of domestic politics (26.5.2006)

Links:
  The European Union Constitution (official EU site)
  The European Union Constitution (unofficial site)

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