Ex French President Discusses E.U. Treatise

The man who headed the recent effort to write a constitution for the European Union (E.U.) joked with a full house at the John F. Kennedy, Jr. Forum last night that while the U.S. Constitution is “much clearer,” the E.U.’s is “much better.”

Valéry Giscard d’Estaing added that he read books about America’s founding moments in Philadelphia throughout the two-year E.U. constitutional convention that wrapped up in July.

But Giscard d’Estaing was quick to point out that drafting a document for the E.U. was a much more complicated process.

He said that while the American constitution pulled together a loose confederacy of three million Americans who spoke the same language, the E.U. constitution—which is still awaiting ratification—is an effort to merge more than 450 million people in Europe who speak more than 22 different languages.

“Our system cannot be as simplified as yours because the union is based on two elements, an association of citizens and of states,” said Giscard d’Estaing, who was president of France from 1974 to 1981.

The constitution delineates the jurisdictions of the E.U. and of individual states—a function which Giscard d’Estaing called one of the most important and complex tasks of any constitutional design.

Under the constitution, the E.U. would have a stronger parliament, a more visible executive and a Charter of Fundamental Rights with judicial oversight of the entire E.U.

Although critics have disparaged the 400 article constitutional draft as unwieldy and ineffective, the Union’s circumstances justify the document’s form, he said.

“Our process was longer and we didn’t leave any stone unturned,” Giscard d’Estaing said, describing the task of the Convention as “a huge work of clarification and simplification.”

Two hundred and ten delegates from all over Europe, from both national governments and E.U. institutions, grew to have “familiarité” over the course of two years, he said.

Their discussion started with debate on whether or not there should be a constitution and evolved into a discussion of the merits of the draft.

The constitution directs the E.U.’s work economically, legally and in terms of foreign policy and defense, said Giscard d’Estaing.

Despite the recent split in Europe over the Iraq war, “there is a sort of basic trend toward some expression of unity,” said Giscard d’Estaing.

“The British have not fully made their choice,” he said.

Giscard d’Estaing said that British Prime Minister Tony Blair is committed to Europe and that there is nothing in the constitution that will be unacceptable to pro-European Brits.

“Europe would be stronger with a strong British contribution,” said Giscard.

When an audience member asked him to comment on the debate about whether Christianity should be mentioned in the constitution, Giscard defended the decision to exclude mentions of a specific religion.

“In our text we are neutral about religion. That is the European tradition,” he said. “We propose freedom of choice.”

When asked about the future of the E.U.’s expansion, Giscard seemed confident that Bulgaria and Romania would be joining the E.U. in the foreseeable future. As for Russia, Giscard said he envisions perhaps not membership but “special status.”

He pointed out that Mexico has no intention of joining the U.S., but that the two countries do have special arrangements.

“We must be very open to new and creative arrangements with our many and important neighbors,” he said.