Omar Bennett
The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe was signed in Rome on 29 October 2004 by 53 senior political figures from the 25 member states of the European Union. The treaty was then put to the member states for ratification. Although it was ratified by fifteen countries, it was rejected by the people of France and the Netherlands in national referendums in June 2005. This rejection meant that the treaty could not come into force, and the process was aborted. Following this, the European Council decided to review the constitution and the ratification process, ultimately leading to the Lisbon Treaty, which entered into force in 2009.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of rejection | 29 May 2005 (France), 1 June 2005 (Netherlands) |
| Referendum results | 55% of French voters rejected, 61% of Dutch voters rejected |
| Number of countries that ratified the treaty | 15 |
| Reason for rejection | The treaty would have replaced existing European treaties with a "constitution" |
| Outcome | The Lisbon Treaty was drafted to amend existing treaties and bring in law a number of the reforms that had been envisaged in the abandoned constitution |
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What You'll Learn
Referendums in France and the Netherlands rejected the treaty
The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe was signed in Rome on 29 October 2004 by 53 senior political figures from the 25 member states of the European Union. The treaty was then submitted to the member states for ratification. While it was ratified by fifteen countries, it was rejected by the people of France and the Netherlands in national referendums in May and June 2005, with 55% and 61% of votes against it, respectively.
The French and Dutch referendum results caused a constitutional crisis, and European leaders decided to hold a ""period of reflection" to consider the next steps. Following this period, the European Council decided to review the constitution and the ratification process in early 2006. The Council extended the review period by two years in June 2006.
The rejection of the treaty by France and the Netherlands had a significant impact on the future of the proposed constitution. As all member states had to accept the constitution for it to come into effect, the process was aborted. The European Union continued to operate based on existing treaties, which were later amended by the Lisbon Treaty. The Lisbon Treaty was signed on 13 December 2007 and entered into force on 1 December 2009. It aimed to make the EU more efficient, increase the participation of EU citizens, and make it more democratic.
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The treaty was ratified by a majority of member states
The Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe was signed on 29 October 2004 by 53 senior political figures from the 25 member states of the European Union. The treaty was then submitted to the member states for ratification. Ratification took different forms in each country, depending on its traditions, constitutional arrangements, and political processes. Most member states ratified EU treaties through parliamentary votes, while some—like Ireland and Denmark—held referendums.
Although the Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe was ratified by fifteen countries, it was rejected by a majority of voters in France and the Netherlands in June 2005. France rejected the treaty on 29 May 2005, with 55% of voters opposing it, and the Netherlands followed on 1 June 2005, with 61% voting against it. Luxembourg held a referendum on 10 July 2005, approving the constitution by 57% to 43%. However, it was the last referendum to be held on the Constitution, as all other member states that had proposed to hold referendums cancelled them.
The rejection of the treaty by France and the Netherlands meant that the ratification process was aborted since the treaty required acceptance by all member states to come into effect. Following this, the European Council decided to review the constitution and the ratification process in early 2006, extending the period of review and reflection for another two years. During this time, the Finnish Presidency was tasked with initiating discussions on the future of the Treaty with the Member States and EU institutions.
After the period of reflection, the Lisbon Treaty was signed on 13 December 2007 and entered into force on 1 December 2009. The Lisbon Treaty did not replace the previous treaties but amended them and abandoned the idea of a single codified constitution. The drafting of the Lisbon Treaty was a challenging process, as it had to address the concerns of member states and ensure their ratification. For example, Irish citizens initially rejected the treaty in 2008, but after securing concessions and guarantees from the European Union, they approved it in a second referendum in October 2009.
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The Vatican was disappointed by the lack of reference to Christianity
The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (TCE) was an international treaty that aimed to create a unified constitution for the European Union (EU). It was signed on 29 October 2004 by representatives of the then 25 member states of the European Union. However, the treaty notably omitted any explicit references to Christianity, which caused disappointment in the Vatican.
The Vatican, the sovereign entity of the Catholic Church, had made clear its desire for a reference to Christianity in the document. Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia also urged that the preamble of the Constitution acknowledge the "Christian roots of Europe." They argued that this recognition was a priority and reflected the "historical truth."
On the other hand, countries like France, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Slovenia, and Cyprus opposed any mention of Christianity. They believed that including such a reference would be too controversial, given the secular nature of some countries and the religious diversity within the EU.
The final version of the proposed TCE made no explicit mention of Christianity. Instead, it referred only to the "cultural, religious, and humanist inheritance of Europe." This omission disappointed the Vatican, which saw it as a departure from the Catholic roots of many European nations.
The TCE was ultimately rejected by French and Dutch voters in national referendums held in May and June 2005, bringing an end to the ratification process. Following these defeats, the European Council decided to review the constitution and began work on what would become the Lisbon Treaty, signed in 2007 and entered into force in 2009.
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Ireland initially rejected the Lisbon Treaty in 2008
The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe was initially adopted by the European Council on 18 June 2004 and was signed in Rome later that year. However, it was rejected by France and the Netherlands in their national referendums in 2005. Following these defeats, the European Council decided to review the constitution and the ratification process. This led to the drafting of the Lisbon Treaty, which was signed on 13 December 2007.
Ireland was the only country in the EU that took the question of the Lisbon Treaty to a popular vote in 2008. On 12 June 2008, Ireland voted against the Lisbon Treaty in a referendum. There were several factors that contributed to this rejection. Firstly, the 'No' side ran a strongly negative campaign, while the 'Yes' side's campaign was lacklustre and started relatively late. The 'No' campaigners effectively scared the public with posters claiming that the Lisbon Treaty would legalise abortion, threaten Irish neutrality, and lead to a loss of an Irish Commissioner, among other issues. These posters were well-orchestrated and displayed throughout the country, even though there was no basis for these claims.
Additionally, polls throughout the campaign indicated that the 'No' side had gained momentum, even though a large percentage of voters remained undecided. The resignation of the then Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, in April 2008 may have also impacted the campaign dynamics. The 'Yes' side made several errors, including starting their campaign late and failing to effectively counter the arguments of the 'No' side.
The voting patterns in the referendum showed that rural Ireland, manual workers, the youth, and women were more likely to vote against the Treaty. Overall, 51% of men voted in favour, while 56% of women voted against, indicating a gender divide in the voting preferences. The rejection of the Lisbon Treaty by Ireland led to a second referendum in 2009, where the Irish voters ultimately approved the treaty.
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The treaty was approved by the European Parliament
The Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe was approved by the European Parliament on 12 January 2005, with 500 votes in favour, 137 against, and 40 abstentions. This resolution was, however, non-binding. The Treaty was signed in Rome on 29 October 2004 by the heads of state or government of the 25 member states of the European Union. The Treaty was intended to simplify the overlapping series of treaties that provided the legal foundation for the EU at the time.
The Treaty was drafted by the European Convention, which was established and chaired by former French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. The drafting process began in December 2001, and the final text was agreed upon in June 2004. The purpose of the Treaty was to simplify the overlapping series of treaties that provided the current legal foundation for the EU. It was intended to replace the existing EU and EC treaties with a single "constitution".
The Treaty was ratified by fifteen countries, but it was rejected in national referendums by France and the Netherlands in June 2005. This rejection meant that the ratification process was aborted, as the Treaty required the acceptance of all member states to come into effect. Following this, the European Council decided to review the constitution and the ratification process, and the period of review was extended in June 2006.
Despite the rejection of the Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe, the European Union continued to operate based on existing treaties. The Lisbon Treaty, signed in 2007 and entered into force in 2009, amended these existing treaties and abandoned the idea of a single codified constitution. The Lisbon Treaty faced its own challenges with ratification, initially being rejected by Irish voters in 2008 before being passed in a second referendum in 2009.
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Frequently asked questions
The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe was rejected in national referendums by France and the Netherlands in 2005. This was because the treaty was rejected by 55% of French voters and 61% of Dutch voters.
Following the rejection, the European Council decided to review the constitution and the ratification process. This led to the Lisbon Treaty, which amended existing treaties and abandoned the idea of a single codified constitution.
The Lisbon Treaty was signed in 2007 and entered into force in 2009. It amended existing EU treaties and incorporated the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, giving it legal status.
The purpose of the Treaty was to simplify the overlapping series of treaties that provide the legal foundation for the EU and to reaffirm the fundamental rights of EU citizens.
No, the Lisbon Treaty faced similar challenges to the Constitutional Treaty. It was initially rejected by Irish citizens in 2008, but after securing concessions, it was passed in a second referendum in 2009.
