The EU Observer has the following:
The President of the European Commission has called for a French yes to the European Constitution, pointing out that there will not be a “plan B” if France rejects the treaty next week……….But Mr Barroso asserted there was no plan B in case the French rejected the treaty.
“We desire that ‘yes’, the ratification in all the 25 countries. Frankly, there is no plan B”.
The Commission’s president also rejected the possibility of re-negotiating the document in the case of a no vote.
“We are 25. With all the respect to each country, there are all the other countries – the ones that have already ratified it, the ones that will probably ratify it. It would not be realistic to re-open negotiations now”.
How does the saying go: never say never. Barroso’s performace here is frankly extremely dissapointing. In the first place it is obvious that he wants a yes, what he needs to do is offer French voters reasons for that yes, not threats about what might happen if they don’t conform. Also he should have side stepped any comments about a hypothetical ‘no’. We’ll deal with that on the day we have to deal with it, should have been the response. Not really what you expect from a President.