Germany to set timetable for ratification of EU constitution News
Germany to set timetable for ratification of EU constitution

[JURIST] Germany intends to set up a "road map" for the ratification of the EU constitution [official website, text; JURIST news archive] when it assumes the rotating EU presidency on January 1, 2007, German Chancellor Angela Merkel [official website; BBC profile] said Wednesday. Merkel acknowledged that the document would not be approved during Germany's six-month presidency, but called for the treaty to be in place before the next European Parliamentary elections in 2009. Earlier Wednesday, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier [BBC profile] made similar comments, saying that Germany hopes to establish a workable timetable for treaty ratification [AP report] before relinquishing the presidency to Portugal in July 2007.

The constitution is now in limbo after voters in France and the Netherlands [JURIST reports] voted against it. All 25 EU member states must ratify the charter before it can come into force. In July, when Finland assumed the EU presidency, the prime minister of Finland promised not to push for ratification [JURIST report] without building consensus among all member nations. EUObserver.com has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Indian National Congress founded

The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded on December 28, 1885 in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. In subsequent decades, the so-called Congress Party would advocate for Indian independence from the UK, which was eventually achieved in 1947. The first Prime Minister of independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru, was elected as a member of the INC. Learn more about the history and founding of the Indian National Congress.

Congress recognized Pledge of Allegiance

On December 28, 1945, Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance and encouraged its recitation in schools. The Pledge was supposedly written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus Day. The words “under God” were added by Congress in 1954. The revised version of the Pledge was the subject of litigation before the United States Supreme Court originally brought by Michael Newdow, a parent who unsuccessfully objected to his daughter's school district policy requiring daily recitation of the Pledge. The court ruled that Newdow had no standing.

Nepal ends monarchy, establishes republic

On December 28, 2007, the Kingdom of Nepal's interim parliament ended the country's monarchy and established the Republic of Nepal. Free elections were held on April 10 of the following year to elect a Constituent Assembly.

Learn more about the rise of democracy in Nepal.