I had blogged earlier this month about the Dutch and the French voting down the EU Constitution. I follow the EU effort primarily to see what the effects of the media's proclaimed "anti-American sentiment" will be on Europe's efforts to close ranks. Chirac and Schroder have been very vocal on this score and they are also very vocal in pushing the EU Constitution on their countrymen and women. Blair has won re-election handily as has Howard in Australia. Need I mention that Blair and Howard are very pro-America and pro-freedom? The future doesn't look as bright for Chirac and Schroder...
"But now things look different. German chancellor Gerhard Schröder, the man who opened the European floodgates to anti-Americanism during his 2002 election campaign, has just called early elections after his Social Democratic party was routed in its stronghold of North Rhine-Westphalia for the first time in four decades. Few give him any chance of winning a new term next fall. After investing his all in the constitutional "Yes" campaign, Jacques Chirac appears to be facing the end of his political career. It is true that he nominated the antiwar standard-bearer Dominique de Villepin as his new prime minister last week. But the embarrassing price for Chirac was that he also nominate his arch-rival, Nicolas Sarkozy, the most pro-American (and most popular) politician in the country, as minister of state. The Villepin choice may dig Chirac deeper into a hole. Only a third of voters approve of the choice, according to a poll taken last week by Ipsos. Sixty-four percent of respondents said they wanted a thoroughgoing change in the government, and only 20 percent thought Villepin was the man for that job."
A great article in The Weekly Standard by Christopher Cauldwell discusses the no votes of the Dutch and French. It's worth a read if you, like me, are following EU developments.
"But now things look different. German chancellor Gerhard Schröder, the man who opened the European floodgates to anti-Americanism during his 2002 election campaign, has just called early elections after his Social Democratic party was routed in its stronghold of North Rhine-Westphalia for the first time in four decades. Few give him any chance of winning a new term next fall. After investing his all in the constitutional "Yes" campaign, Jacques Chirac appears to be facing the end of his political career. It is true that he nominated the antiwar standard-bearer Dominique de Villepin as his new prime minister last week. But the embarrassing price for Chirac was that he also nominate his arch-rival, Nicolas Sarkozy, the most pro-American (and most popular) politician in the country, as minister of state. The Villepin choice may dig Chirac deeper into a hole. Only a third of voters approve of the choice, according to a poll taken last week by Ipsos. Sixty-four percent of respondents said they wanted a thoroughgoing change in the government, and only 20 percent thought Villepin was the man for that job."
A great article in The Weekly Standard by Christopher Cauldwell discusses the no votes of the Dutch and French. It's worth a read if you, like me, are following EU developments.
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