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EU Members Spar Over Constitution

Conflict centers on voting power, market protections, more

By Jonas Oransky,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 22, 2007 7:34 PM CDT
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(Newser) – Disagreement is widespread at the European Union summit meeting in Brussels, where the main goal is to produce a new treaty governing the 27-country group. The French have  tamped down language about free-market competition, the Brits don't want certain provisions to be legally binding, and the Poles are angling for more voting power, BBC News reports.

Germany’s Angela Merkel holds the rotating EU presidency, and she is demanding that Poland compromise on voting reforms. Meanwhile, the Polish president has said that the reason his country has  less voting power than other countries is that its population is smaller because the Germans killed so many of his countrymen in World War II. 

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, left, shares a word with Spain's Prime Minister Jose Luiz Rodriguez Zapatero on the rooftop of the EU Council building during an EU summit in Brussels, Friday June 22, 2007. Britain and Poland remained entrenched in their positions against a new treaty aimed at replacing the...
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, left, shares a word with Spain's Prime Minister Jose Luiz Rodriguez Zapatero on the rooftop of the EU Council building during an EU summit in Brussels, Friday June 22,...   (Associated Press)
Poland's President Lech Kaczynski, right, gestures toward the media during arrival for an EU summit in Brussels, Friday June 22, 2007. Britain and Poland remained entrenched in their positions against a new treaty aimed at replacing the failed European constitution, and key EU leaders said progress was yet to be...
Poland's President Lech Kaczynski, right, gestures toward the media during arrival for an EU summit in Brussels, Friday June 22, 2007. Britain and Poland remained entrenched in their positions against...   (Associated Press)
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zer, Pool)   (Associated Press)
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Two-thirds of Europeans support constitution
UNIAN News Agency, Ukraine

Blair insistent over national pre-emption of continental constitution
Guardian (UK)

 
Angela Merkel • Germany • Poland • European Union • voting power

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