By Brian Johnson - 18th October 2004
French Greens are set to back a ‘oui’ vote for the EU constitution during a national referendum.
Green big guns, including the deputy mayor of Paris, Denis Baupin, former environment minister, Yves Cochet and mayor of Begles, Noël Mamère, are all backing a 'yes'.
Many Greens are undecided on the issue ahead of a key internal vote on November 21, and a ‘non’ could help swing a December 1 decision by French Socialists.
Baupin is urging his colleagues to “seize the major political opportunity” of influencing the French debate by agreeing to back the ‘yes’ campaigners.
“The French Green Party like the majority of European green parties will vote yes,” French green MEP Jean-Luc Bennahmias told EUpolitix.
“It is very unlikely that there will be a no vote.”
Some French Greens and left-wingers are concerned that the EU constitution does not do enough to protect the environment or safeguard ‘social Europe’.
A ‘non’ campaign, fear pro-EU constitution campaigners, could harness a strong protest vote against an unpopular French leader Jacques Chirac.
To enter in to force the constitution must be ratified in all of Europe’s 25 countries and a French no vote could plunge the EU into chaos.
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