2005 French European Constitution referendum

The French referendum on the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe was held on 29 May 2005 to decide whether France should ratify the proposed Constitution of the European Union. The result was a victory for the "No" campaign, with 55% of voters rejecting the treaty on a turnout of 69%.

Results by département

  Yes (over 55%)

  Yes (between 50% and 55%)

  No (between 50% and 55%)

  No (between 55% and 60%)

  No (over 60%)

The question put to voters was:

Approuvez-vous le projet de loi qui autorise la ratification du traité établissant une Constitution pour l'Europe ?

"Do you approve the bill authorising the ratification of the treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe?"

France was the first country to reject the treaty, and the second country to go to the polls in a referendum on ratification, after a Spanish referendum approved the treaty by a wide margin in February 2005. France's rejection of the Constitution left the treaty with an uncertain future, with other EU member states pledging to continue with their own arrangements for ratification.

The result was surprising to political commentators, with those in favour of the "yes" vote having received 71% of mentions on television between 1 January and 31 March.[1]

Campaign

The text of the European Constitution, as distributed to each French voter

President Jacques Chirac's decision to hold a referendum was thought in some part to have been influenced in part by the surprise announcement that the United Kingdom was to hold a vote of its own, though it was also widely commented that the expected easy victory would also be an expression of confidence in the President. Moreover, it would do much to cement his legacy as a French statesman. It would also have a divisive effect on the opposition Socialist Party.[2] Although the adoption of a Constitution had initially been played down as a 'tidying-up' exercise with no need for a popular vote, as increasing numbers of EU member states announced their intention to hold a referendum, the French government came under increasing pressure to follow suit.

The date was announced on 4 March 2005. Opinion polling had shown the "Yes" and "No" campaigns in the lead at various times, but in the weeks leading up the referendum the "No" campaign consistently held the lead. This led many, even some on the "Yes" side, to predict openly that France would reject the Constitution.[3]

Socialist Party vote on stance

On 1 December 2004, the opposition Socialist Party held a vote among its members to determine the stance it would take. The issue of the Constitution had caused considerable divisions within the party, with many members—although broadly in favour of European integration—opposing the Constitution for reasons including a perceived lack of democratic accountability, and the threat they considered it posed to the European social model. The "Yes" side was led by party leader François Hollande while the "No" side was led by deputy leader Laurent Fabius. A former prime minister of France (1984–1986), Laurent Fabius traditionally on the center right of the Socialist Party opted for the No to the Constitution, switching to the left of the party. For many commentators, this paradoxical move was a gamble to get the upper hand within the party before the next presidential elections, in case of success of the No vote.[4]

Within the Socialist Party, out of 127,027 members eligible to vote, 59% voted "Yes", with a turnout of 79%. Out of 102 Socialist Party regional federations, 26 voted "No".

Amendment to the French Constitution

The Constitutional Council of France ruled that the European Constitution could not legally coexist with the current Constitution of France. For that reason, a vote was taken to amend the Constitution of France to make the two documents compatible.

This amendment passed in an extraordinary joint session of deputies and senators at the Palace of Versailles on 28 February 2005, with 730 votes in favour and 66 votes against, with 96 abstentions. Both the ruling party and the Socialists supported the constitutional amendment. Communist Party members were the only ones to vote against it.[5]

Opinion polls and course of the campaign

Polls on voting intentions for the referendum on the European Constitution in France (September 2004 - April 2005)

  Yes

  No

Initial opinion polls showed a clear majority in favour of the Constitution, but public opposition grew over time. By May, the "Yes" campaign's lead was smaller than the opinion pollsters' margin of error.

The three major political forces in France (UMP, PS and UDF) supported the proposed Constitution, as did president Chirac. Supporters of the Constitution from the left sought to emphasise that the treaty incorporates a Charter of Fundamental Rights and thus helped to secure the future of the European social model. Somewhat surprisingly considering his usual political orientation, Jacques Chirac defended it as a possible barrier against neoliberal economic policies.

Olivier Besancenot, José Bové and Jean-Luc Mélenchon at a meeting supporting the "No" vote.

Objections to the Constitution in France can be broadly divided into two camps. On the left, many expressed the view that the Constitution would enforce a neoliberal economic model. Among those were some members of the Socialist Party who dissented from the party's stance as decided by its internal referendum, some members of the Green Party (though the party's official policy was also to support ratification), the Communist Party and the Citizen and Republican Movement - a small party allied to the Socialist Party. The Radical Party of the Left, another ally of the Socialist Party, was divided on the question: its main representatives were for the Constitution, while Christiane Taubira, who was candidate for the PRG in 2002, was against it.

Other parties of the hard left, such as the Trotskyist Revolutionary Communist League and Workers' Struggle, as well as associations like ATTAC and trade unions such as the CGT or SUD opposed ratification. These critics sought to link the Constitution to the proposed directive on services in the internal market, which is widely opposed in France.

There were also prominent opponents of the Constitution from the right, notably Nicolas Dupont-Aignan (a Gaullist) and Philippe de Villiers (of the Movement for France), and from the extreme right, Jean-Marie Le Pen of the National Front, who opposed the Constitution on the grounds that France should not be part of any institution whose decisions can take precedence over what is decided in France at a national level. Another factor in the defeat of the Constitution may have been the linking of the Constitution in the minds of voters with the possibility of the accession of Turkey to the European Union, with which most of the French population disagrees.

Results

Ballots for the referendum.

French European Constitution referendum, 2005

Choice	Votes	%
No	15,449,508	54.67
Yes	12,808,270	45.33
Valid votes	28,257,778	97.48
Invalid or blank votes	730,522	2.52
Total votes	28,988,300	100.00
Registered voters and turnout	41,789,202	69.37
Source: French Minister of the Interior

By département

Département	For	Against	Electorate	Votes	Valid votes	Invalid votes
Paris	532,040	268,617	1,084,114	813,783	800,657	13,126
Seine-et-Marne	225,904	278,308	733,535	515,100	504,212	10,888
Yvelines	353,085	240,020	836,989	603,361	593,105	10,256
Essonne	236,408	243,221	685,325	489,493	479,629	9,864
Hauts-de-Seine	358,968	220,915	826,795	590,084	579,883	10,201
Seine-Saint-Denis	150,848	241,151	637,385	400,193	391,999	8,194
Val-de Marne	229,880	229,921	684,036	468,400	459,801	8,599
Val-de Oise	191,269	219,831	616,343	419,287	411,100	8,187
Ardennes	47,478	80,125	192,179	130,267	127,603	2,664
Aube	56,807	75,345	196,136	135,355	132,152	3,203
Marne	113,948	131,988	370,728	251,129	245,936	5,193
Haute-Marne	39,795	55,921	141,073	98,157	95,716	2,441
Aisne	85,475	171,616	366,193	262,564	257,091	5,473
Oise	134,591	223,129	513,072	364,718	357,720	6,998
Somme	95,893	192,968	400,004	295,053	288,861	6,192
Eure	100,447	170,308	382,292	276,369	270,755	5,614
Seine-Maritime	208,546	388,712	841,738	609,469	597,258	12,211
Cher	60,935	92,927	226,259	158,261	153,862	4,399
Eure-et-Loir	82,338	111,075	279,243	198,386	193,413	4,973
Indre	44,871	77,338	174,877	126,492	122,209	4,283
Indre-et-Loire	123,389	146,707	378,397	276,931	270,096	6,835
Loir-et-Cher	67,721	97,425	232,895	169,794	165,146	4,648
Loiret	133,025	153,360	412,617	294,019	286,385	7,634
Calvados	142,966	180,191	459,573	330,020	323,157	6,863
Manche	114,958	136,363	359,667	257,898	251,321	6,577
Orne	66,478	82,947	211,837	153,240	149,425	3,815
Côte-d'Or	107,202	125,347	331,637	237,934	232,549	5,385
Nièvre	41,764	72,635	166,883	117,365	114,399	2,966
Saône-et-Loire	107,843	157,135	397,394	273,830	264,978	8,852
Yonne	64,037	97,586	236,494	165,341	161,623	3,718
Nord	437,285	711,580	1,725,296	1,174,968	1,148,865	26,103
Pas-de-Calais	224,109	510,509	1,055,794	752,109	734,618	17,491
Meurthe-et-Moselle	138,272	180,239	473,008	324,790	318,511	6,279
Meuse	39,618	56,103	137,901	97,943	95,721	2,222
Moselle	209,035	253,176	721,154	472,035	462,211	9,824
Vosges	80,147	115,518	283,696	201,251	195,665	5,586
Bas-Rhin	256,189	200,433	687,298	469,067	456,622	12,445
Haut-Rhin	162,079	163,923	489,991	334,895	326,002	8,893
Doubs	110,011	128,414	337,752	244,753	238,425	6,328
Jura	54,899	74,398	180,881	133,094	129,297	3,797
Haute-Saône	46,099	79,224	175,160	129,050	125,323	3,727
Territoire de Belfort	23,690	39,529	89,511	64,780	63,219	1,561
Loire-Atlantique	305,127	291,722	844,344	614,434	596,849	17,585
Maine-et-Loire	192,037	170,367	518,825	375,170	362,404	12,766
Mayenne	77,285	70,285	214,687	153,542	147,570	5,972
Sarthe	113,383	152,878	387,989	274,574	266,261	8,313
Vendée	154,034	152,786	441,749	318,454	306,820	11,634
Côtes-d'Armor	146,445	166,991	430,720	321,966	313,436	8,530
Finistère	232,396	222,193	640,668	466,318	454,589	11,729
Ille-et-Vilaine	240,065	206,110	628,199	459,623	446,175	13,448
Morbihan	183,367	178,653	509,176	372,215	362,020	10,195
Charente	71,631	104,108	253,451	180,984	175,739	5,245
Charente Maritime	130,573	163,652	426,181	302,580	294,225	8,355
Deux-Sèvres	88,433	93,253	261,766	188,900	181,686	7,214
Vienne	91,453	112,596	288,959	210,732	204,049	6,683
Dordogne	83,512	138,347	300,288	229,019	221,859	7,160
Gironde	276,219	355,495	886,995	646,377	631,714	14,663
Landes	79,132	110,917	265,975	195,935	190,049	5,886
Lot-et-Garonne	62,741	102,203	230,573	170,316	164,944	5,372
Pyrénées-Atlantiques	154,086	167,831	460,580	331,988	321,917	10,071
Ariège	28,435	49,949	109,384	80,924	78,384	2,540
Aveyron	71,743	82,493	213,821	160,990	154,236	6,754
Haute-Garonne	240,661	281,408	733,866	536,274	522,069	14,205
Gers	40,949	57,502	136,301	102,328	98,451	3,877
Lot	38,559	57,282	128,313	99,107	95,841	3,266
Hautes-Pyrénées	47,671	74,636	170,504	125,951	122,307	3,644
Tarn	78,028	113,268	264,190	199,171	191,296	7,875
Tarn-et-Garonne	42,784	69,233	156,426	115,806	112,017	3,789
Corrèze	57,351	75,804	183,650	137,807	133,155	4,652
Creuse	25,433	41,386	99,706	69,361	66,819	2,542
Haute-Vienne	74,573	111,589	259,304	193,223	186,162	7,061
Ain	110,194	123,377	346,686	239,628	233,571	6,057
Ardèche	64,249	96,376	224,529	165,306	160,625	4,681
Drôme	93,060	129,696	318,483	228,801	222,756	6,045
Isère	232,316	268,107	730,733	512,671	500,423	12,248
Loire	141,887	179,386	485,077	331,063	321,273	9,790
Rhône	349,663	295,735	945,746	659,433	645,398	14,035
Savoie	90,331	95,412	271,196	190,416	185,743	4,673
Haute-Savoie	159,529	136,243	437,412	303,109	295,772	7,337
Allier	68,600	103,813	253,647	177,961	172,413	5,548
Cantal	38,999	43,203	121,975	84,994	82,202	2,792
Haute-Loire	49,998	68,759	168,088	123,232	118,757	4,475
Puy-de-Dôme	129,582	173,932	428,309	312,453	303,514	8,939
Aude	60,912	111,233	241,648	176,805	172,145	4,660
Gard	116,669	208,200	455,217	332,051	324,869	7,182
Hérault	181,531	273,892	654,395	469,442	455,423	14,019
Lozère	19,409	22,572	58,972	43,435	41,981	1,454
Pyrénées-Orientales	72,704	132,256	294,226	209,578	204,960	4,618
Alpes-de Haute-Provence	32,072	48,647	112,632	82,961	80,719	2,242
Haute Alpes	30,536	38,666	97,823	71,236	69,202	2,034
Alpes-Maritimes	208,426	230,818	668,088	447,793	439,244	8,549
Bouches-du-Rôhne	308,040	498,413	1,179,550	820,994	806,453	14,541
Var	189,811	257,183	666,146	455,280	446,994	8,286
Vaucluse	91,639	154,004	350,503	251,325	245,643	5,682
Corse-du-Sud	20,526	29,183	88,646	50,399	49,709	690
Haute-Corse	25,072	33,181	106,296	59,023	58,253	770
Guadeloupe	33,779	23,863	289,443	64,292	57,642	6,650
Martinique	48,179	21,620	272,339	77,252	69,799	7,453
French Guiana	6,850	4,541	54,762	12,655	11,391	1,264
Réunion	95,298	142,871	471,155	252,641	238,169	14,472
Sainte Pierre and Miquelon	1,139	678	4,805	1,879	1,817	62
Mayotte	17,585	2,754	55,904	21,052	20,339	713
Wallis and Futuna	4,772	550	10,385	5,367	5,322	45
French Polynesia	30,649	11,404	157,044	42,749	42,053	696
New Caledonia	35,948	9,691	135,217	46,988	45,639	1,349
Source: European Election Database

Consequences

The possible consequences of a "No" vote were highly debated in France before the referendum. Proponents of the Constitution, including Jacques Chirac, claimed that France's standing in Europe had been considerably weakened.

Pro-EU campaigners for a "No" vote (as opposed to those opposing the EU altogether) argue that the Constitution will be renegotiated. "No" vote campaigners, particularly the prominent socialist Laurent Fabius, have labelled this option Plan B. Campaigners for a "Yes" vote have stated that there would be no such Plan B and that the 'European project' could be brought to a standstill for at least ten years.

Practically the perspective of a renegotiation quickly appeared illusory after the result of the referendum. First, the challenge of a renegotiation was made all the greater by the diversity of reasons for the rejection of the treaty.

Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin was quickly replaced by Dominique de Villepin. UMP leader Nicolas Sarkozy returned to cabinet as Minister of the Interior.

Although this rejection and the similar vote in the Dutch referendum seriously damaged the Constitution, subsequent EU Presidency holders have vowed to keep it going.

Sarkozy was elected President of the French Republic in May 2007. Amongst his pledges was a re-negotiation and ratification of a mini-treaty without a referendum. Eventually, the new version of the text, the Lisbon Treaty, was voted by the Parliament.

On the internal political scene, the success of the referendum did not have the expected effect on the political landscape. Begrudged by the members of the Socialist Party for his divisive role, Laurent Fabius lost the race to the presidential primaries for the 2007 elections, finishing third (18.66%) behind Segolene Royal (60.65%) and Dominique Strauss-Kahn (20.83%). The proponents of the Yes eventually got the upper hand in the party, and the lasting division of the far left prevented the apparition of a strong opposition force on left of the Socialist Party by the proponents of the No. On the right of the political spectrum, the far right did not benefit from the success of the No and suffered, for the first time in 15 years a strong decline in the 2007 elections.

See also

• Polish plumber

References

1. https://www.acrimed.org/Comptage-des-intervenants-a-la-tele-de-janvier-a-mars-2005-Arret-sur-images-F5
2. http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/eo20041004af.html
3. "France names EU referendum date". BBC News. 4 March 2005.
4. Henley, John (1 December 2004). "Euro fighters". The Guardian.
5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2 March 2005. Retrieved 1 March 2005.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

External links

• Monitoring report evaluating the fairness of the referendum campaign
• Official results from the Ministry of the Interior
• Proclamation des résultats du référendum du 29 mai 2005 by the Constitutional Council
• Results by département from Le Monde
• fr:Résultats du référendum français du 29 mai 2005 sur la Constitution européenne: detailed results by département on one page (French Wikipedia)
• Mobilization : French books sold; web frequenting (fr); appeals to court (fr)