The Constitutional Treaty was put to a referendum in 2005 in France. Fifty-five percent of French citizens voted against it.  So a new treaty was devised to win them over, known as the Lisbon Treaty, it came into effect four years after the previous treat

History: France says 'No'

France rejects   the European Constitution.

On 29 May, 2005, the French people   delivered their verdict

6 months earlier, the 'Yes' camp   was ahead in the polls.

But after a few weeks of intense   and lively campaigning,

the 'No' vote   became more of a certainty.

On 29 May, I was at home but   remember the 2 weeks beforehand.

I went all over France,   from North to South.

In the days leading up to it,   the 'No' vote was gaining ground.

On 29 May, 2005,   the verdict was announced.

Almost 55% of French people voted   against the new European Constitution.

As I made my way from North to South,   looking at which way the voting would go,

I realised the referendum was lost   as I was asked all sorts of questions,

which had absolutely   nothing to do with the Treaty.

We saw so many people   in the meetings and debates

who wanted to read and understand   the constitutional treaty itself.

It was the first time a founding country   of the EU had opposed a European bill.

Overnight, the future   of the EU became uncertain

but was it the Constitution   that the French were against?

There were the problems of pensions   and the lack of subsidies.

All sorts of questions,   except those I wanted to talk about.

Opponents criticised   the new European Constitution

for trying to establish too liberal   a socioeconomic system.

The famous Bolkestein directive   regarding services added to their disdain.

Nowhere in the world do they write   such socioeconomic policies in stone,

spelling out the freedom of movement   of capital, goods and services.

Those that fuelled the 'No' camp   did so to deal a blow to Europe.

They are the ones who did not   and do not want to see Europe progress.

On top of those ideas that explain   the victory of the 'No' camp,

it was the decision to have a referendum   that was vehemently criticised.

Referenda are a means   of democratic consultation

If Schuman and the fathers of Europe   had called a referendum after the war,

to ask if France should build   a relationship with Germany,

98%, including my parents   who lived through the war in Alsace

the Lisbon Treaty finally replaced   the European Constitution bill.

It's a new treaty for Europe   but also marks a new challenge,

at a time of serious   economic and financial crisis.