France’s Le Pen urges voters to reject EU Constitution News
France’s Le Pen urges voters to reject EU Constitution

[JURIST] France's far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen [Wikipedia profile], who surprised observers with his strong performance in the 2002 French presidential election, has called for voters to reject the proposed European Constitution [PDF, text of draft treaty] in a May 29th referendum. Le Pen has called the document "an instrument of destruction of nations," arguing that it creates a super-state at the detriment of national identities. French President Jacques Chirac, Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, and the opposition party have urged voters to approve the charter. March public opinion polls [BBC report] indicateed that the French are leaning towards rejecting it. The document has already been approved by Spain, Slovenia, Lithuania, Hungary and Italy and unanimous approval is needed among all 25 EU member states. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Charlemagne crowned Holy Roman Emporer

On December 25, 800 A.D., Charlemagne was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III in Rome, Italy. During his lifetime, Charlemagne united most of Western Europe for the first time since the fall of the Western Roman Empire. He is credited with spreading the rule of law throughout his dominions as well as starting the French and German monarchies.

President Andrew Johnson pardoned Confederates

On December 25, 1868, President Andrew Johnson granted an unconditional pardon to all who had been involved in "insurrection or rebellion" during the US Civil War.