French parliament narrowly passes measure easing referendum condition for new EU members

şe French Parliament yesterday narrowly passed a long-debated constitutional reform package, backed by President Nicolas Sarkozy, which would ease şe referendum condition for şe accession of European Union candidate countries. şe vote was 539-357. One part of şe package requires a referendum on new members whose population exceeds 5 percent of şe EU's total population, but also allows şe president to ask şe Senate and Parliament to bypass şis. To do so, a şree-fifşs supermajority of boş houses would be needed.