Madam, - After the French rejection of the EU constitution and the overwhelming "No" vote in the Netherlands, the wisdom of continuing the ratification process in Ireland and elsewhere is questionable.
A constitution for which I would willingly have voted, as it would have provided a workable means for accommodating different countries' interests in a wide European framework, has been rejected by popular vote in two member-states. In each of these, dare I say it, the electorate was better informed than was ours in the first Nice referendum - though, as with our first "No" vote, the reasons for voting against the constitution varied widely, with strange bedfellows in the "No" camp.
I can understand the desire of our Government which has put so much time and effort into the constitutional treaty not to be involved in its killing, and the refusal to withdraw the possibility of life-support at this stage is commendable.
To put the matter to the vote here could, however, be unwise. In the first place, the outcome will be unpredictable, and we will be in danger of a marginal "Yes" or "No" that would leave nobody the wiser.
I suspect that the way forward is for EU governments to accept the constitution will not be ratified. We have the EU treaties, most recently amended by the Nice Treaty, and these will have to provide the basis for Union action over the next period. Several heads of government who may have seen the Constitution as their "swan song" will soon be replaced by new leaders, who will have to confront the issues raised by the rejection of the constitution and determine, with the support of their people, how to advance the Union. - Yours, etc,
JOHN HANDOLL, Wellington Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.
Madam, - In the aftermath of the French "Non", several letter-writers have suggested that what the French in fact rejected was the implicit tyranny of the US economic system, insofar as it is mandated in the EU constitution. I believe this estimation of the US model is extreme, to say the least. From what I have read about Europe and seen with my own eyes here in Ireland, citizen power is a much more potent force in the US than in the EU.
For better or for worse (and isn't that the point about democracy?), local communities in the US have the power to raise revenue and take decisions on issues that directly influence their quality of life. This can be done through citizen-driven referendums and other direct ballots. As a result, yes, richer communities have better services than poorer ones - which is where the federal government steps in to help out cities and towns with a low revenue base. But the point is, one community's advantages aren't taken away to make up for another's lack of them.
Two centuries ago US founding father John Adams came across this comment in a book by French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau: "There is no doubt that the people are in the long run what the government make out of them." In the margin Adams wrote: "The government ought to be what the people make it."
At its core, then, I think the French vote was an American-style affirmation of citizen power. - Yours, etc,
STEVE CORONELLA, Shankill, Co Dublin.
A chara, - The French and Dutch referendums on the EU constitution have sent such a shock-wave through the political and media establishments that they are unable (or unwilling) to see the obvious. Some blamed "the French" for racist attitudes to Poles and Turks and insist that, despite the clear result, they will press on regardless.
While it is true that there was a small far-right component to the "Non" vote, exit polls found that one of the main reasons for the result was the neo-liberal - i.e. Thatcherite - nature of the constitution. This finding reflects the No campaign, which was mainly composed of a large section of the Socialist Party, the Communist Party, the Green Party and smaller leftist groups.
The decision of the Irish Labour Party to back the Yes side here, combined with its desire to coalesce with Fine Gael, shows how far to the right that party has shifted.
In France, the big loser was François Hollande, the right-wing leader of the Socialist Party, who backed the "Oui" side, while the winners were his leftist rival Laurent Fabius and Marie-George Buffet, who re-invigorated the Communist Party by building a broad left campaign, which may lead to a strong left coalition in the next general election.
The lessons for the left in Ireland are obvious. - Is mise,
DESSIE ELLIS, Dunsink Road, Finglas, Dublin 11.
A chara, - The thousands of Irish citizens resident here in France were excluded from last Sunday's referendum. This is not in itself surprising, as we are not French nationals. What is surprising is that the Irish Government will not allow us to vote in the upcoming referendum in Ireland. Thus we are disenfranchised by both Governments on a matter that directly concerns us.
The Irish Government has long encouraged its citizens to go abroad and to take an active part in the construction of the new Europe. This we have done in our thousands, not just in France, but throughout all the member-states of the EU. Now we find our own Government has effectively slammed the door behind our backs and will not allow us to be part of the democratic process to ratify the very constitution that will affect us directly in our daily lives. The mind boggles.
If I had been born in Newry, and not Dundalk, the British government would happily give me a non-resident vote in its upcoming referendum. - Is mise,
CIARÁN MAC GUILL, Clichy, An Fhrainc.
Madam, - Commenting on France's rejection of the European Constitutional Treaty in your edition of May 31st, the former taoiseach and current EU ambassador to the United States, John Bruton states, "The French No could have a negative effect on potential EU members trying to promote democracy."
Most of the potential EU states which Mr Bruton refers to have just recently emerged from the grip of totalitarian regimes; so what could be more positive and democratising than watching democracy in full, French flow, delivering a bloody nose to those who would attempt to take the will of the people for granted. - Yours, etc,
TOM COOPER, Delaford Lawn, Knocklyon, Dublin 16.