By Bruno Waterfield - 1st December 2004
French Socialists vote on Wednesday evening to choose between a ‘oui’ or a ‘non’ to the EU constitution.
The internal referendum among 120,027 party members could decide the fate of the EU constitution in a national French vote in 2005 – and set the future course for the country’s centre-left opposition.
Socialist leader, and ‘yes’ campaign chief, Francois Hollande is reminding party faithful, and a strong left-wing opposition to the EU constitution, that the vote is critical.
“Their decision is going to involve the future of Europe. It is going to decide the coherence of the Socialist Party: in relation to its history, its voters, its plans for 2007 [presidential elections], and even its European allies,” he said.
Socialists will simply be asked: “Do you agree with the European constitution?”
The vote begins at 6pm on Wednesday evening at polling stations in 3700 branches of the centre-left party – a 70 per cent turn out is expected.
Socialists can not cast proxy votes and must have been party members for at least six months.
Four regional Socialist federations will be key to the end result: the North, Pas-de-Calais, Paris and the Rhone delta.
First results should be known early on Thursday December 2 but a final result will be officially set by a national Socialist council on Saturday December 4.
Le Monde reports that the contest will also effectively decide who will represent the centre-left opposition in a 2007 French presidential campaign.
If the ‘yes’ camp, led by party leader Hollande, wins, he will be a natural for a 2007 vote.
But in the event of a ‘non’ Socialist deputy leader Laurent Fabius, who is campaigning for a ‘no’, will probably seize control.
Both candidates are indicating the vote will be a close contest, although opinion polls put the “yes” camp ahead.
In Le Figaro, Hollande is quoted as saying, “nothing is decided” and Fabius says, “it’s very open”.
Have your say...
Please enter your comments below.