European Disunion

Looking at the fight over the European Union constitution from the United States has been a learning experience for me. Europeans, far from expressing confidence in a single government that can organize socioeconomic conditions for the benefit of the entire continent, are convinced that the EU's centralization will only impede on the autonomy of individual nations and possibly compromise their national identities. The French rejected the constitution in an effort to keep jobs - in a country where ten percent unemployment is becoming the norm - from being transferred to poorer European Union members like Romania and Bulgaria. Also, there is the fear of the rising influence of Islam (the byproduct of Arab and sub-Saharan immigration into Europe) in this increasingly secular continent, as well as the fear of Turkey - which will be the only predominantly Muslim nation in the EU if it joins- having more sway over European affairs than, say, Germany.

And while smug Americans may take satisfaction toward a politically weakened Europe based on the French rejection of the constitution and the impending Dutch vote tomorrow (a "no" vote is likely to win), it may affect the United States's ability to get help from EU members when there are governments in Great Britain, France, and Italy that have been weakened in trying to deal with the politics of the EU constitution's increasing unpopularity.

It's going to be interesting to see how it all plays out.