It was a long time coming, but on June 18, 2004, the European Constitution was finally signed by the heads of state of all the member nations of the European Union. The constitution was a document meant to streamline the governance of the EU and make it more efficient and effective. It was also meant to give the EU more legitimacy in the eyes of its citizens.
Unfortunately, the constitution was never ratified. In 2005, it was rejected by voters in France and the Netherlands. This effectively killed the constitution, as it would have needed to be ratified by all member states in order to come into effect.
So, what went wrong? Why did the European Constitution fail?
There are a number of reasons why the constitution failed.
First and foremost, it was a very complex document. It was over 700 pages long and contained a lot of legal jargon that was difficult for the average person to understand. The process of drafting the document was highly complex, with negotiations taking place between a large number of countries and institutions. This made it difficult to reach a consensus on the final text.
Secondly, the constitution was seen as a power grab & bureaucratic by the central government. Many people felt that it would centralize too much power in Brussels and take away power from the member states.
Thirdly, the constitution was not very popular with the public. In opinion polls, a majority of people in the EU were opposed to it. This made it difficult to get the necessary support for the document in the European Parliament.
Fourthly, the timing of the constitution was unfortunate. It was drafted in the wake of the 9/11 attacks and the Iraq War. This made it seem like the constitution was a response to these events, rather than something that would benefit the EU as a whole.
Finally, the constitution failed because it was simply too ambitious. The drafters of the constitution tried to do too much, and as a result, the document was simply too complicated and too long.
In the end, the failure of the European Constitution was a disappointment for those who had worked on it and believed in it. However, it was also a reminder that the European Union is a complex and difficult beast to tame.
