With the recent rejection of the Constitutional Treaty by France and all the discussions about it that followed I can’t resist the temptation to add my opinion.

I think it’s good that this treaty is now done with. The French have at last done something that makes sense, saving other nations the trouble of shooting it down. Now we only have to see what would come next.

Either the EU elites would accept the vote of the people and prove themselves to be as democratic as they claim or they will indeed reject it and push for continuation of ratification process in other countries. Or even possible repetition of referendums in France until the French would accept it. Such a course of action would prove beyond any doubt that EU is not as democratic as it claims and its elites have some other agendas.

Reasons behind the French vote also worry me. They voted against the Constitutional Treaty not because it is way too big, too complex and unclear, but because it is not socialist enough. They fear their welfare state would be dismantled, they fear “Polish plumbers” would take their jobs and the passing of this treaty would somehow speed up globalisation (in France). French voters turned out to be more socialist than their socialist party! If that is how most Europeans feel then Europe is in for trouble in the long run. It is so because the competition didn’t stop and everywhere people work more and harder than in the EU. Without trade barriers and such this can’t last. And it won’t.

To make things clear I support EU integration. But I would like to see a simple, understandable to everyone constitution that establishes the EU federal state – let’s be honest, that’s where this all leads anyway – that values freedom, including the economic freedom. And economic freedom means private property, no to state control of the citizens and companies, no to methods of taxation that serve as an excuse and vehicle for dismantling any privacy. I think the US constitution is the best model people creating the EU’s should look at. It has stood the test of time, it’s concise and everyone understands it. Sure, some things could be said better now – but let’s not add social “rights” or any such BS there.

(OK, OK, I know, with less than 2% of EU votes being libertarian there is no chance for a EU constitution I could support in the near future…).