Emile Picy
PARIS (Reuters) - The French parliament ratified a European Union reform treaty to overhaul the bloc's institutions on Friday, nearly three years after France rejected a planned EU constitution in a referendum.
The treaty, which must win approval by all 27 EU countries to take effect, will give the bloc a long-term president, a more powerful foreign policy chief, more democratic decision-making and more say for European and national parliaments.
France is the fifth EU country after Hungary, Malta, Romania and Slovenia to ratify the so-called Treaty of Lisbon, a replacement for the constitution. Only Ireland will hold a referendum on the treaty, as required by its own constitution......Article conts (-)
The treaty, which must win approval by all 27 EU countries to take effect, will give the bloc a long-term president, a more powerful foreign policy chief, more democratic decision-making and more say for European and national parliaments.
France is the fifth EU country after Hungary, Malta, Romania and Slovenia to ratify the so-called Treaty of Lisbon, a replacement for the constitution. Only Ireland will hold a referendum on the treaty, as required by its own constitution......Article conts (-)






