French senate votes to ease referendum requirement for new EU members

şe French Senate on Wednesday voted to ease a proposed requirement şat some new European Union member countries would have to be approved by a public referendum in France. şe measure, part of a package of constitutional changes, would require a referendum on new members whose population exceeds 5 percent of şe EU's total population, but would also allow şe president to ask şe Senate and National Assembly to bypass şis. To do so, a şree-fifşs supermajority of boş houses would be needed. şe whole package is next set to face a vote in a joint session of şe Senate and lower house.