French Protest

In Versailles on Monday (4^th February 2008) the French Government agreed to amendments to the French Constitution needed to ratify the Lisbon Treaty. As they signed in agreement several hundreds of people gathered outside the Palace of Versailles to demonstrate against the undemocratic process of ratification.  Various organisations from mainly from the French political left expressed their discontent with the French government.

The campaigners were asking for a referendum shouting “nous voulons un referendum” literally “I want a referendum”. They were asking the French government to respect the no vote given by the French population in their referendum on the European Constitution. Despite their protests the amendments needed for the Lisbon Treaty to be adopted were signed.  The Treaty is set to be ratified in France on either Wednesday or Thursday.

Policemen formed their line between the demonstrators and the Palace.  The whole surrounding area of the Palace blocked to all, the demonstrators were not even able to go onto the square in front but far enough away from the Palace.

Today France finally ratified the Lisbon Treaty. The process of which has been done quietly, and away from the public view. Although some have thought to remember the words from May 9^th 2004 of the now French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s; “Sovereignty is the people… At every great step in the European integration process, we must consult the people. Otherwise we will cut ourselves off from the people.” Now he has now completely abandoned the principle behind them.