German chancellor backs Chirac endorsement of EU constitution News
German chancellor backs Chirac endorsement of EU constitution

[JURIST] On a visit to France Tuesday, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder [official site, in German] voiced support for a call by French President Jacques Chirac [official site, in English] for French citizens to ratify the new EU Constitution [official site]. Current polls indicate that French voters will reject the constitution when a national referendum occurs on May 29. Speaking at a news conference in Paris, Schroeder warned that voting down the constitution would "weaken, not strengthen, the power of the Europeans." The constitution requires ratification by all 25 EU members before it can be implemented. The latest polls conducted by Ipsos [official site] say that 52% of voters are opposed to ratification. French citizens cite rampant unemployment as grounds for opposition, as EU enlargement allows foreigners to poach French jobs. Voters in Germany will not have the chance to vote on the EU treaty, which will instead be decided by parliament with votes in May. Spain was the first country to approve the EU constitution by referendum [JURIST report], with 77 percent voting in favor in February. Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, and Slovenia have also backed the constitution. Bloomberg News has more. The EU provides a concise table of EU contries and their ratification status.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Justice Department brings anit-trust action against AT&T

On November 20, 1974, the Department of Justice filed its final anti-trust suit against AT&T. United States v. AT&T was ultimately settled out of court with an agreement that the corporation would break up its monopoly on phone service throughout the country.

Nuremberg war crimes trials began

On November 20, 1945, the war crimes trials of Nazi World War II leaders began in the German city of Nuremberg. Review the Nuremberg Tribunal's Charter and the verdicts and sentences handed down on major war figures.

Winston Churchill born

On November 20, 1874, Sir Winston Churchill was born in Woodstock, England. He would go on to lead the United Kingdom as Prime Minister through World War II. Toward the end of the war, Churchill worked with US President Franklin D. Roosevelt to craft the treaties and accords that have defined the world since WWII. A 2002 poll by the BBC declared Churchill the Greatest Briton of all time.

New Jersey ratifies Bill of Rights

New Jersey ratified the Bill of Rights, a set of 10 fundamental amendments to the US Constitution, on November 20, 1789, becoming the first state to do so. The state also ratified an amendment on federal representation which ultimately failed. Additionally, New Jersey rejected an amendment on congressional salaries, which would eventually become the 27th Amendment more than 200 years later. Read the articles ratified by New Jersey.