France: Laurent Fabius, formerly a socialist prime minister and finance minister, is the only leader of the No campaign against the European constitutional treaty who stands a chance of winning the 2007 presidential election campaign.
So when Mr Fabius broke his long period of reserve a few days ago to accuse President Jacques Chirac of lying, he instantly became the de facto leader of the No camp. Mr Fabius said the French head of state had transformed the May 29th referendum into a "propaganda" exercise and added that "Jacques Chirac is someone who lies with incredible aplomb."
Mr Fabius's achievement has been to make the No vote acceptable, even fashionable. He claims to be more pro-European than supporters of the treaty; the text first called for by Mr Chirac and written largely by Frenchmen is not worthy of his high ambitions for Europe, Mr Fabius says.
In his first nationwide television interview of the campaign last night, Mr Fabius said he opposes the treaty because "with this enormous text, there's a risk of [ EU policy] becoming disconnected from the social and economic situation of the French."
With 25 EU members, Mr Fabius warned, disparity within the Union is too great.
"In Poland, for example, the minimum wage is one sixth what it is in France. Once you say that competition among all these countries is the only rule, there is a terrible risk that our salaries will be lowered, our social protection will be lowered and our pensions will be lowered."
Taking liberties with the text of the treaty, Mr Fabius claimed that it "forbids Europe from harmonising [ social policies] upwards".
A French factory owner recently created a scandal by proposing that his employees relocate to Romania, for €110 per month. Mr Fabius said such situations "are the consequence of the constitution". But the constitution is not yet in force, the television presenter protested. "Yes, but it risks worsening this situation. That's why I say No," Mr Fabius said.
"I want a strong Europe, but a Europe that provides work, that keeps our social protection system," Mr Fabius continued.
Advocates of the treaty point out that chronic, 10 per cent joblessness for the past 22 years is a French problem and that other EU countries, including Britain and Ireland, have overcome it.
Mr Fabius's other main reason for opposing the treaty is that it "risks locking up the future of Europe". Because it can only be altered by a unanimous vote, it would take 30 years to change the slightest comma, he claimed. He neglected to say that it has always been the case that European treaties could be changed only through unanimity.
To satisfy Mr Fabius, the third part of the treaty, which includes all earlier EU treaties, would have to be jettisoned. "A constitution is about values, not policies," he explained. And the treaty would have to be subject to simpler revision, to allow countries such as Germany, France and Spain to forge ahead of the others, he said. "Otherwise, we're going to have a soft Europe with indefinite borders and we'll be paralysed."
"Today's Europe is dictated by finance," Mr Fabius complained. "I want finance to give way to the economy, and the economy to social policy. That means we have to say No, and then we'll renegotiate."
Mr Fabius wants to hold a televised debate with Mr Chirac on the treaty, but the president has declined. The socialist politician turned down an offer to debate from Nicolas Sarkozy, the leader of the centre-right UMP who would also like to unseat Mr Chirac in 2007.