Portugal eyes December EU treaty vote

Lisbon is set to hold a referendum on the EU constitution in December, according to Portugal's new prime minister.

Jose Socrates said on Saturday that his socialist government would aim to hold a vote on the treaty at the same time as local elections, scheduled for the end of 2005.

The new prime minister, elected to office in February, said holding a vote on the constitution and local elections on the same day would boost voter turnout and save money.

"I think we can and should minimise the costs of these consultations of the popular will, " said Socrates as he was sworn into office.

"There is no political reason to the stop the referendum on the European Union constitution from being held together with municipal elections," the BBC reports.

Portugal is seen as pro-European, with sixty-one per cent in favour of the EU constitution and 11 per cent against, according to a recent Eurobarometer poll.

Spain was the first European country to hold a referendum on the treaty. Next up will be France on May 29. Lithuania, Hungary and Slovenia have already ratified the treaty with a parliamentary vote.

 

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