France and the Referendum on the EU Constitution

This Policy Brief considers some of the complex arguments and issues surrounding the French debate on the ratification of the EU Constitution. It has been suggested by many commentators and observers that the referendum in France will be the key factor on whether the EU Constitution is ultimately ratified by the EU's 25 Member States. With this in mind this Brief considers in detail the positions of the main actors in the French campaign and examines how the political debate there contrasts with the discussion surrounding the Constitution in the UK.