FRANCE: The future of the French left - and possibly the fate of Europe's constitutional treaty - was to be determined last night in a referendum by 120,000 socialist party members. Results of the poll will be announced this morning.
The party's leader, Mr Francois Hollande, led the campaign for a Yes vote, arguing that the treaty includes significant advances through the charter of fundamental rights and recognition of labour unions and the status of public services.
Mr Hollande enlisted the support of other European socialist leaders, the vast majority of whom support the treaty.
The campaign for a No vote was led by the party's number two, the former prime minister Mr Laurent Fabius, who claims the treaty commits the European Union to an "anglo-saxon" style free-market economy.
The socialists won the European elections in June, Mr Fabius said, with the slogan: "And now, a social Europe." Then, socialist demands included a minimum wage throughout the 25-member union, a Europe-wide public works programme financed through borrowing and the "harmonisation" of tax rates to prevent what the French call "fiscal and social dumping".
None of the socialist wishes found their way into the constitution. Mr Hollande countered the arguments of the No camp by saying: "The constitution is neither socialist nor liberal. It organises Europe with values that are common to all of us."
If a majority of French socialists vote No, Mr Fabius will be well placed to represent the left in the 2007 presidential election. The French President, Mr Jacques Chirac, may reconsider his promise to put the treaty to a nationwide referendum next spring. And if France fails to ratify the treaty, the EU may question whether ratification by 25 member-states is a realistic path to further integration.
Opinion polls seemed to indicate that the Yes vote would win by a narrow margin. If so, the political career of Mr Fabius may be over, and for the first time Mr Hollande will be taken seriously as a possible presidential candidate.