International

With her statement that the European Constitution must be adopted within two years, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is showing total contempt for the German and French people and their recent rejection of the proposal. This was the view expressed by SP Member of Parliament and European Union affairs spokesman Harry van Bommel. Reacting to Merkel’s speech before the European Parliament today, Van Bommel said that “It is hard to imagine a worse start to the German EU Presidency.”

In mid-2005, millions of people in France and the Netherlands voted to reject the European Constitution, yet Merkel wants to force it through as if nothing had happened. “Such a move will only undermine support for the EU still further,” said Van Bommel. “Going through with this rejected Constitution would be a historic blunder.”

Van Bommel will raise the matter with Foreign Minister Ben Bot in Parliament tomorrow, grilling him as to his views on the attitude of the current German EU presidency. The presidency is held by each member state in turn for a period of six months, and Germany’s term of office will last until the end of June.