APPEAL TO THE FRENCH
ELECTORATE FOR A EUROPEAN CONSTITUTION
French citizens at home,
abroad and especially in Southern Italy, who can understand more
than you what is at stake in the referendum of May 29th?
We urge you to vote at your
consulates in order that your experience will also become the one of
45 Mio European citizens; say Yes once again to Europe.
There lies a big
responsibility on the French electorate who will vote for the
ratification of the Treaty instituting the European Constitution on
the 29th May 2005. In a relevant measure, their decision
will determine the future of over 45 Mio EU citizens and the nature
of the relations of their respective countries with the rest of the
Mediterranean.
We hope for the victory of a
YES.
In case of a NO on the
ratification of the European Constitution would lead to a critical
halt of the integration process of the European policy. Even more
severe even, if there was a beginning of a transformation of the
Union into a simple Free trade zone.
Such a refusal would
certainly also influence other countries which have not taken any
position yet.
A French NO would actually
shelve this Constitution and discredit its content, which so far,
has proven to be innovative and democratic in regards to other
traditional intergovernmental documents.
France has given an
invaluable contribution in terms of civilisation, culture and
initiatives backing the integration of countries of the old
continent. Being the undisputed reference favouring the
communitarian integration process, a negative vote would
irreversibly compromise its role.
Europe owes a lot to the
French way of thinking and to its political action.
A possible rejection of the
text of the Treaty would lead to a collapse of the hopes that have
been cultivated by the European citizens; old and new ones, but
above all the hopes of those who have considered the belonging to
the Union as a completion of freedom and fundamental rights, the
integration between the countries and more recently that of the
Mediterranean area.
A YES would nurture itself
with the European ideals of many political figures who have marked
history and who have not only viewed Europe as a physical space but
more a movement, a great possibility for peace and development of
values such as solidarity, equality, justice, and freedom: these are
the fundamental values which are fully incarnated in the
Constitution.
With its 448 articles, the
Constitution contributes to the improvement of the relations among
the European institutions and with the national Parliaments, as well
as with the 25 countries conferring full freedom of choice and a
right measure of independence protecting it from the ancient and
failing political and economical autarchies which only Europe has
been able to limit so far.
In accordance with the
“small steps” approach by Robert Schumann, the Constitution will be
prone to revisions and modifications in order to correct loopholes
and possible limited applications.
We wish that the hopes and
the expectations of the Europeans will not be deceived now, in this
crucial moment where we could still vote YES thanks to the citizens
of France and Europe.
Gerardo Marotta, President of the Istituto
Italiano per gli Studi Filosofici
Walter Schwimmer, Secretary General of Maison de la Méditerranée
Predrag Matvejevic’, President of the International Scientific
Committee
Michele Capasso, President of the
Fondazione Laboratorio Mediterraneo
Caterina Arcidiacono, Vice-President of
the Fondazione Laboratorio Mediterraneo
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