Merkel to Push for Constitution in Bid to Save Europe's Soul

The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, yesterday called for the resurrection of the EU constitution, saying she was on a quest to find Europe's soul.

Outlining ambitious policy aims to the European parliament in Strasbourg, Mrs Merkel sought to counter widespread scepticism about the chances of breathing life into the project and made clear it would be the centrepiece of her campaign during the six months of Germany's EU presidency.

"We must give Europe a soul. We have to find the soul of Europe," she said.

As early as next week, senior German officials are to sound out EU member states about how to revise and repackage the draft constitution, which suffered a blow in 2005 when voters in France and the Netherlands rejected it.

In an unusual move aimed at building pressure for a revival of the constitution, the two-thirds of EU countries which support it will also meet in Spain next week to come up with a common strategy.

"Failure would be a historic failure," Mrs Merkel told the European parliament.

She rejected MEPs' calls for debate on the constitution to be open to the public, saying it had already taken place. The crucial German-led consultations, leading to the unveiling of a "constitution roadmap" in June, would be confidential.

Germany is the most powerful EU country supporting a Europe treaty. But Mrs Merkel faces formidable opposition in Britain, France, Poland, Denmark and the Netherlands. Her aim is to reach a consensus on what can be salvaged from the draft that was rejected, and to retain as much as possible of the original.

The new president of the European parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering, who is a member of Mrs Merkel's Christian Democratic party, promised to support Berlin's aim, as did Jose Manuel Barroso, head of the European commission. "We need the settlement to clear the clouds of doubt which hang over parts of Europe," he said.

Seeking to counter the mood of drift and gloom that has characterised the EU since the French and Dutch referendum shocks, Mrs Merkel said the EU was a success story. But she said urgent decisions were needed to avoid paralysis.

"Using the current rules, the EU can neither be further enlarged, nor is it capable of taking the necessary decisions," she said. "It is in the interests of Europe, the member states and the public to bring this process to a good ending by the next European parliament elections in the spring of 2009 ... A lumbering, bureaucratic, divided Europe is unable to cope with the tasks it faces in foreign and security policy, on climate change and energy, in cutting bureaucracy or in enlargement."

There are high expectations of the German presidency, but some fear Mrs Merkel may have bitten off more than she can chew.