European voters should reject the new constitutional treaty and
demand something better
The Economist 24/6 2004
The task of agreeing a new constitutional treaty for the European Union with 25 countries around the table, all with their own interests and aims, was no doubt a difficult one. Compromise, fudge and imperfection were inevitable. The text that European governments ended up with on June 18th may be, as they say, the best that could be done in such circumstances.
Fortunately, however, there is now a chance for those circumstances to be changed: at least ten countries will put the new treaty to their voters in referendums, while the others seek to ratify it solely through their parliaments.
Those voters would do themselves, and the European Union, a great service if they were to reject this treaty and jolt governments into coming up with a better version.