A reasonably reliable source has given me some tips on outcomes expected from the current summit in Brussels:
* They will reach an agreement on the draft of the constitution. The European Parliament will have even more members, and the rules on qualified majorities will be sorted out.
* They will not agree on a successor to Romano Prodi as President of the European Commission. That decision will be put off until the third week of July.
It’s a shame Chirac dismissed Patten, and despite the excuses he gave, it doesn’t seem to me that a left-wing Fleming in the position would be notably more in France’s interest than a nominally Tory Brit. Ah well.
There are worse things than a bigger parliament, I suppose. I hope the majority voting rules aren’t _too_ unworkable.