Shaping the minds of the citizens: the role of civil movements in the rejection of the EU constitution

• Main Authors: Aromin, Jensen, Binondo, John Phillip, Garcia, Johann Alfonso Gabriel
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2008
• Subjects: Citizenship > European Union; French > Citizen participation; Dutch > Citizen participation; Civil rights > Europan Union; European Union > Politics and government; Constitutional law > European Union; Democracy > European Union; Legitimacy of governments > European Union; International and Area Studies
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/6485
• Institution: De La Salle University

This research aims to shed light into the controversial rejection of the EU's Draft Constitution by the French and Dutch citizens. Taking into consideration the different factors that might have affected this decision this paper aims to provide an extensive analysis on how the different civil movements have influenced this particular voting behavior. Secondly, the research also provides a speculative analysis on how this draft constitution might lead to empowerment of the EU citizens in light of the integration and enlargement process. The theoretical framework utilized in attempting to explain these phenomena is the Neofunctionalist Theory which argues that sectoral integration would lead to a spill-over effect towards deeper and wider region wide integration.