By Brian Johnson - 17th March 2005
Jacques Chirac is "exasperated" at José Manuel Barroso’s refusal to withdraw the EU’s controversial services directive.
The French president is worried that the European Commission president’s continuing defence of the services shake-up is playing into the hands of the French ‘non’ camp in the run up to the country’s EU constitution referendum on May 29.
The services directive has become a key issue for the French anti-constitution no camp, and Paris is unhappy that Barroso appears to be indifferent to the problems he may inadvertently be creating for the ‘yes’ campaign.
Chirac described the directive on Wednesday as “unacceptable” and called for a “complete overhaul” of the current proposals.
But Barroso, who is attempting to shore up member state support for his economic reform agenda at next week’s critical EU summit, has ignored French fears and delivered a strong defence of the “dreaded” directive.
The French ‘non’ camp is missing no opportunity to attack the commission who they feel are trying to impose a liberal agenda.
Chirac wants the commission to “keep quiet” on the subject during the pre-referendum period.
Opposition to the commission’s economic reforms have seen a rise in hostility to Brussels, in the lead up to the crucial referendum.
But blaming Brussels is nothing new, suggests Le Monde, with both the French left and right using the commission as a political diversion over the years, to divert attention from national issues.
A Wednesday opinion poll showed a drop in support for the EU constitution in France of almost ten points in three months.
Support is now at 56 per cent, with a third of voters still undecided.
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