France: France's European partners have urged the country's voters to back the EU constitution in a referendum next month as the Yes campaign launched a fightback against a buoyant anti-treaty camp.
Belgium's finance minister said a No vote would pose "a major problem", while Portugal's visiting president Jorgé Sampaio said founder member France must remain at the heart of closer European ties.
German foreign minister Joschka Fischer lent his support, touring western France with French counterpart Michel Barnier as the treaty's backers marshalled their forces ahead of the May 29th ballot.
"It's not a domestic policy decision but a European one," Mr Fischer said of the French referendum. "The future of Europe depends on this decision."
President Jacques Chirac enters the fray on Thursday, but his televised debate with 80 youngsters has prompted derision from treaty opponents, with nationalist Philippe de Villiers accusing him of being scared of a debate with adults.
Ten consecutive polls have shown a solid majority of French voters plans to reject the EU constitution, which aims to streamline decision-making within the bloc after its enlargement from 15 to 25 members.
The latest poll showed 53 per cent are set to vote No.
Belgian finance minister Didier Reynders said the treaty, portrayed by left-wing opponents as a charter for economic liberalism, in fact favoured a more political Europe.
"Those who favour a more socially orientated Europe have every interest in there being simpler decision-making rules," he told Radio France Internationale, echoing the government's line.
Rejection of the treaty would mean that the more complicated voting procedures of the Treaty of Nice would remain in force, allowing countries like Britain to block initiatives they disliked in more instances.
Mr Reynders said there was always a danger that domestic issues would sidetrack voters, but urged French people to focus on the improvements the new constitution would bring.
"The Maastricht Treaty was not adopted painlessly in France," he said of the 1992 treaty which scraped a narrow victory in a referendum after polls had suggested the Yes vote would be a clear winner.
Mr Fischer said: "In an era of globalisation, Europe's future role is to be more democratic, more social policy-minded, and more transparent," he said.
Mr Barnier said the German minister's trip to France highlighted his country did not face a "Franco-French debate, but a European one".
Mr Sampaio told the Le Figaro he hoped voters would back the project and enable France to "remain one of the pilots of progress within the union". - (Reuters)