Plans for German EU Referendum look rocky

Despite the earlier report on this Blog that the German Social Democrats and Greens were prepared to change the constitution to allow a referendum on the EU constitution, the opposition Christian Democratic Union and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union, are opposing plans to introduce a bill.

While it is understood that both parties would be prepared to support a "one off" bill that would permit of referendum on the EU constitution, the SDP was planning something which would lift the prohibition on referendums for a wide range of purposes.

That idea has been rejected by "almost 100 percent" of the opposition members and since the CDU alone boasts 247 in the 601-strong Bundesrat – and any change needs a two-thirds majority, it is unlikely that the current SDP plan can win enough support.

Nevertheless, as always, there is room for compromise, so the issue is not necessarily dead yet.