feu

where now for europe then? the french electorate have given a gallic shrug and voted "non" towards the eu-constitution, leaving it potentially dead in the water. the irony is that france has been at the fore of european integration for decades now. the coming months will be interesting indeed.

i'm no euro-skeptic, far from it, but the fact of the matter is that i reckon that the "big" european states are too stuck in their ways to go ahead and adopt a separate euro foreign minister, closer integration etc etc. france especially has done its best since the days of de gaulle to try and stay influential in world politics, and whilst the electorate voted no for a myriad of reasons, i don't think the french are ready to haul down the tricolour and replace it with the eu flag just yet.

the dutch vote on wednesday to ratify the constitution, and if another founder member rejects it, then the europe of the future could be very different to the united states of europe that many countries have promoted. the upcoming uk presidency of the eu will add spice to the argument. i have a feeling that i'll be watching a lot more news 24.