[JURIST Europe] Former French president and author of the beleaguered European Constitution [official website, text; JURIST news archive], Valery Giscard d'Estaing [Wikipedia profile] is calling for the EU constitution rejected by French and Dutch voters [JURIST reports] in 2005 to be put to new referendums. Citing domestic political issues as the culprit in derailing the ratification of the regional charter, especially in France [JURIST report], he suggested in an interview with the Financial Times published Tuesday that the passage of time might lead to reconsideration by French voters. Giscard disagreed with the idea that the constitution was dead and referred to its recent endorsements by Finland and Estonia [JURIST reports] as proof of a possible revival. He did however concede that Britain would not ratify the instrument, and recommended that the EU develop special provisions for it.

As part of the impending German presidency of the EU in January 2007, German Chancellor Angela Merkel [official website in German; BBC profile] has pledged to revive the European Constitution [JURIST report]. The Financial Times has more.

Angela Onikepe is an Associate Editor for JURIST Europe, reporting European legal news from a European perspective. She is based in the UK.