The Implications of the 'No' Vote in France: Making the Most of a Wasted Opportunity

On 29th May 2005, French citizens were asked the following question: "Approuvez-vous le projet de loi qui autorise la ratification du traité établissant une Constitution pour l’Europe?" (Do you approve of the Bill authorizing the ratification of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe?). When French people cast their vote, nine Member States representing nearly half the people of the European Union (EU) had already decided, by parliamentary or referendum method, to ratify the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (hereby, the Constitutional Treaty). France was the second Member State to ratify by referendum after Spain where approval of the Constitutional Treaty was massive – but turnout low. 54.67% of French voters answered "non" and hence rejected the Constitutional Treaty, even though France was one of the major proponents of the Convention on the Future of Europe which led to the drafting of the Constitutional Treaty