Luxembourg goes ahead with EU referendum

20/06/2005 - 15:31:33
Government officials said today that Luxembourg would hold a planned referendum July 10 on the European Union’s proposed constitution.

Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker told EU leaders at last week’s summit in Brussels that the 25-nation bloc needed a long “reflection period” on the EU’s future after French and Dutch voters rejected the EU charter in their own referendums.

Juncker said countries should decide how best to ratify the charter – through a national referendum or parliamentary vote. Denmark and Portugal announced their referendums would be delayed.

However the parliament in the tiny Duchy, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency, decided not to postpone its vote, an official said today.

Poland also has said it would hold its planned referendum.

Luxembourg – wedged between France, Germany and Belgium – has traditionally been one of the most pro-EU countries. Recent polls, however, show opposition to the constitution is growing.

According to a June 10 survey, opposition to the constitution stands at about 45%, up from 32% in May and 23% in April, according to the Ilres polling organisation.

Juncker, a strong backer of the constitution, said he would resign if the referendum failed in Luxembourg. At the summit, he said EU leaders and their governments had done a poor job of selling the charter to their citizens.