Luxemburgs parlement keurt EU-grondwet goed in aanloop naar referendum (en)

Luxembourg's parliament has ratified the EU constitution but the much bigger test will come in just under two weeks when the document gets put to a referendum.

All 55 MPs present voted in favour of the constitution on Tuesday (28 June), with five MPs from the populist ADR party not present for the vote.

Luxembourg daily Tageblatt reports that MPs have said that they will respect the outcome of the planned referendum on 10 July.

This means that only if the EU charter is approved by popular vote will it go on for definitive ratification via a second reading in the parliament.

The tiny EU state decided to go ahead with a referendum despite the fact that EU member states earlier this month put ratification on ice in response to the French and Dutch rejections of the constitution.

Socialist MP Ben Fayot, the rapporteur on the law for the constitution, said that "Luxembourg needs the European Union more than any other country" adding that a yes would mean "more European integration".

While Luxembourg had generally been considered as one of the most pro-EU countries with little chance of it saying no to the document, the last polls conducted before the pre-referendum one month ban put the No camp at 45 percent.

Luxembourg prime minister Jean-Claude Juncker has staked his political career on the referendum indicating he will step down if the treaty blueprint is rejected.

A no vote would further increase the current crisis feeling in the EU while a yes vote would likely give momentum to other countries planning to hold a referendum - the vast majority of whom have postponed their polls.