Constitution faces myriad criticisms

Skeptics say the document is a threat to democracy.
VIENNA, Austria (AP) -- It's designed to help 25 nations set aside ancient divisions, forge a common destiny and transform a Tower of Babel into a single powerful voice in world affairs.
So what's not to like about the European Union's proposed constitution?
Plenty, say increasing numbers of Europeans whose approval is needed, by referendum or parliamentary vote, to put the document into effect in 2007. Some fear surrendering their identity and sovereignty to a faceless superstate. Others worry about hidden traps that will become evident beyond the point of no return.
Nonsense, say the charter's defenders. A key provision will make it easier for countries to opt out of policies they don't like and even to leave the bloc.
Sharp divisions
For the moment the focus is on the make-or-break May 29 referendum in France, where polls show citizens sharply divided. The EU heavyweight is one of the architects of the project, and a "no" vote would doom a watershed moment for Europe's march to ever closer union.
To take effect, the charter must be approved by all 25 member states. But even if the French approve, the Dutch hold a referendum three days later -- and the latest surveys suggest they will reject it 53 percent to 47 percent. The referendum is nonbinding, but politicians have pledged to abide by the result provided it's clear-cut and the turnout is strong.
But what's the point, people from Sweden to Slovakia are asking. The EU is already border-free. It has its own currency: the euro. A raft of legislation harmonizes everything from electrical appliances to car headlights. If three's a crowd, say the so-called "Euro-skeptics," 25 is a mob that threatens to swallow any one country whole.
There is wariness of the growing influence of EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, and anxiety about being lumped together in one-size-fits-all approaches to delicate national issues such as dealing with minorities. And there is annoyance that many governments are opting to have their parliaments -- rather than their people -- ratify the constitution.
"I can understand well the fear that Estonia will lose its national sovereignty," said Alvar Ameljushenko, a 34-year-old sales manager in Tallinn, capital of the Baltic nation, where the decision is up to Parliament.
& quot;I think the EU constitution is a good thing as such, but if its principles aren't applied equally in all member states, I'd say it's a joke. & quot;
Citizens in tiny Slovenia, which joined the EU a year ago along with Estonia and eight other newcomer nations, aren't laughing.
Translation yields confusion
The former Yugoslav republic is among nine countries that have ratified the charter. But some Slovenes are still bristling over parliament's approval of the document just days after it was translated into their language.
It happened "without any public debate," wrote Rastko Mocnik, a prominent professor of sociology. "The manner in which the constitution was accepted says a lot about our current so-called democracy."
The government has sought to ease the indignation by mailing booklets to every household explaining the key points of the charter.
Underscoring the difficulties of running an EU that speaks 20 languages, Latvia's Parliament finds itself working with flawed translations riddled with hundreds of grammatical errors, yet plans to vote on it before the month is out. Meanwhile, even though his country's parliament has ratified the charter, Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic has suggested that smaller EU countries should seek to amend it so they don't have to accept all legislation from Brussels.
Confusion abounds over what the constitution -- legally a treaty -- actually says and does.
In some ways, it resembles the U.S. constitution, although critics say its dense, technical language lacks the poetry of its American counterpart.
The preamble to its 460 articles sets a "We the People" tone: "The peoples of Europe are determined to transcend their former divisions, and, united ever more closely, to forge a common destiny."
It designates Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" as the EU anthem, and May 9, the anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, as Europe Day.
It guarantees freedom of speech and religion, and the right to shelter, education, collective labor bargaining and fair working conditions. It gives the 732-seat European Parliament, directly elected by the citizens of all 25 states, more power to shape or reject EU legislation.
Fears
Yet vague -- some say totally unfounded -- fears persist, especially in the smaller EU nations, that they will eventually lose control over domestic issues -- that Brussels will tell them how many immigrants they must accept, or how big a sales tax they can levy.
Having worked hard to kick themselves into proper fiscal shape for EU membership, many of the newcomer nations are outraged to see Germany and France flatly override EU budget rules to suit themselves. And many are uncomfortable with a constitutional provision establishing an EU president and foreign minister to expand the bloc's influence in world affairs. They prefer the present system of rotating the presidency among member states every six months.