the parliament and the constitution
This week MEPs are focusing on a draft report on the reflection period about the constitutional treaty. The draft report comments:
The No votes appear to have been rather more an expression of dissent at the present state of the Union than a specific objection to the constitutional reforms, but, paradoxically, the result of the Noes is to maintain the status quo and block reform
and argues for a “broad public debate on the future of European integration”. The report proposes meetings between the European Parliament and national parliaments (the Parliaments in Austria, Finland and Germany apparently don’t want to co-operate with this plan), but also seeks to engage other groups:
the European dialogue will only overcome the constitutional crisis if it engages not only each EU institution but also national and regional parliaments, local government, political parties, social partners, civil society, the academic community and the media.