Sarkozy outlines vision for radical EU reform

The French presidential frontrunner, Nicolas Sarkozy, has put Europe at the heart of his election campaign, calling for a "mini-treaty" to replace the European constitution and the end of national vetoes.

M. Sarkozy outlined his vision of an integrated and reinvigorated EU with reformed and streamlined institutions - but without Turkey as a member. "We have to say who is European and who isn't," he said. "It's no longer possible to leave this question open."

Longer-term ambitions included new powers for the European Commission president to select his team of commissioners and the creation of an advance guard of countries forging closer integration in key areas. Looking ahead to France's presidential elections next year, M. Sarkozy argued: "2007 will be the [50th] anniversary of the Treaty of Rome. It will also bring the opportunity for big democratic debate in France. I have no intention of leaving the question of the future of Europe outside that debate."

France's Interior Minister said he could not "hide his European convictions" and served notice that, if elected, he would press for radical reforms.

M. Sarkozy, who is president of the centre-right UMP party, called for implementation within two years of a new, slimmed down treaty without a referendum. That idea will alarm most British politicians - including Gordon Brown - who favour a softly-softly approach to reform.

But the visionary nature of yesterday's speech caused a frisson of excitement in Brussels because M. Sarkozy is looking increasingly likely to win next year's presidential contest. The latest opinion poll shows him enjoying a two-point lead over Ségolène Royal, his likely centre-left challenger. She is due to visit Brussels next week and is under pressure to outline her own European policy.

M. Sarkozy told the Friends of Europe think-tank that key elements of the failed European constitution should be pushed through without a referendum. With elections looming in 11 countries in the next 10 months, M. Sarkozy believes politicians in many countries can gain a mandate to ratify a slimmed-down treaty through national parliaments rather than plebiscites.

Though billed as a "mini-treaty", M. Sarkozy suggested the inclusion of substantial elements from the constitution including changes to the voting system and a reduction of national vetoes, creation of a permanent president of the European Council and of a European foreign minister. Such "urgent institutional reforms" were needed to escape the "deep" crisis created by the French and Dutch referendums last year, said M. Sarkozy. He added: "All this could be negotiated rapidly without reopening the political debates on issues on which a compromise had been found." The timetable envisaged would mean negotiating the mini-treaty next year and ratifying it by the end of 2008.

Longer-term reforms were more ambitious still. M. Sarkozy proposed scrapping national vetoes and creating a new category of decision-making for sensitive areas such as taxation where he decried the lack of harmonisation. In these areas a "super-qualified" majority of 70-80 per cent of the votes would be needed to carry the day.

In a move which will cause concern in Westminster, M. Sarkozy reiterated his hostility to Turkey's ambitions to join the EU. Negotiations with Ankara should be suspended, he said, unless the Turks honoured a pledge to open their ports and airports to boats and aircraft from all EU countries, including Cyprus.