Frankrijk wenst Duitse ondersteuning bij referendum-campagne (en)

France is looking to Germany to provide symbolic help ahead of its referendum on the European Constitution in June.

According to German daily FT Deutschland, in order to increase the chances of the country saying yes to the referendum, the German parliament wants to ratify the charter at the beginning of June - just before the French referendum.

This was agreed by the two heads of parliament, Wolfgang Thierse und Jean-Louis Debré, at the beginning of the month.

A note by the German foreign ministry on the meeting says "both sides hope that [it will] have a positive psychological effect on the voting behaviour of the French population during the referendum".

Since last year's decision to have a referendum, the Constitution has never been far from frontline political debate in the country.

French Socialists were bitterly divided on the document which some in the party saw as being too Anglo-Saxon and free market in spirit - but an internal referendum in the party in December saw the majority decide to back the Constitution.

However, President Jacques Chirac's hopes of a yes to the treaty were dealt a blow earlier in February when members of the second biggest trade union in France, the CGT, spoke out against the new charter.

President Chirac is also having a difficult time making sure that a debate on Turkish membership of the EU, which many in France are against, stays separate from the debate on the Constitution.

All 25 countries have to ratify the Constitution before it can come into force - but a 'no' from France - a founding EU member - would plunge the union into political crisis.