Polls & Research

French Would Support Lisbon Treaty in Vote

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Most people in France would support the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty if it were put to a vote, according to a poll by CSA published in Le Parisien. 56 per cent of respondents would vote in favour of the proposed body of law for the European Union (EU), while 44 per cent would reject it.

EU heads of state officially signed the European Constitution on Oct. 29, 2004. The project for a continental body of law was practically abandoned in 2005, after voters in France and the Netherlands rejected the proposed document in two plebiscites.

In October 2007, leaders of the 27 EU member nations reached an agreement on the Lisbon Treaty and Charter of Fundamental Rights. The Lisbon Treaty provisions call for the creation of new posts, such as a foreign policy chief, and a High Representative who will answer to EU governments and serve as vice-president of the European Commission. The Charter will become legally binding in all EU member states except Britain, which negotiated an exemption.

The EU leaders would also choose a president of the European Council for a two and a half year renewable term. This will effectively eliminate the current six-month rotating presidency among member nations. The Lisbon Treaty also provides for the creation of a mutual defence clause, in case one of the member states is attacked.

If all countries ratify the treaty—whether through a referendum or a parliamentary vote—it will become effective in January 2009. Ireland, due to its internal regulations, is the only country that must hold a nationwide vote on the Lisbon Treaty, while other governments can decide whether they want to do the same.

On Jun. 12, 53.4 per cent of Irish voters rejected the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty. On Jun. 16, French president Nicolas Sarkozy—a staunch supporter of the treaty—declared: "We cannot afford to plunge the EU into 10 years of institutional debate. (…) Eighteen countries have ratified the treaty so far and others should go on with the process, while we try to find a solution to the problem ahead of us."

Polling Data

As you may know, 27 European countries agreed in 2007 to a simplified agreement, the Lisbon Treaty, with regard the European Union (EU). If this simplified treaty were put to a referendum in France, as was the case in Ireland, would you vote Yes or No?

Yes	56%
No	44%

Source: CSA / Le Parisien
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 824 French adults, conducted on Jun. 18 and Jun. 19, 2008. No margin of error was provided.