French parliament backs EU treaty

The French parliament ratified a European Union reform treaty to overhaul the bloc's institutions on today, nearly three years…

The French parliament ratified a European Union reform treaty to overhaul the bloc's institutions on today, nearly three years after France rejected a planned EU constitution in a referendum.

The treaty, which must win approval by all 27 EU countries to take effect, will give the bloc a long-term president, a more powerful foreign policy chief, more democratic decision-making and more say for European and national parliaments.

French Prime Minister Francois Fillon and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso both welcomed the vote.

"The ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon by France sets the seal on our country's return to the heart of Europe, a few months before the beginning of the French presidency of the Council of the European Union," Mr Fillon said in a statement.

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Speaking in Brussels, Mr Barroso said, "In being among the first member states to adopt the Lisbon treaty, France confirms its commitment to be at the forefront of Europe."

France is the fifth EU country after Hungary, Malta, Romania and Slovenia to ratify the so-called Treaty of Lisbon, a replacement for the constitution. Only Ireland will hold a referendum on the treaty, as required by its own constitution.

Mr Barroso said he hoped Slovakia, where a vote on the treaty looks set to be delayed by at least several weeks due to internal political squabbles, would ratify the document too.

"There is a broad support for the treaty. The main political forces in Slovakia very much support it," he added.