French socialists to abstain from EU treaty vote

France's main opposition party – the Socialist party – has decided to abstain from a vote in February on constitutional changes eventually leading to the ratification of the EU's recently agreed Lisbon treaty.

The so-called "Versailles Congress" that will take place on 4 February will gather the country's National Assembly and Senate to vote on a revision of the French constitution, which is a pre-condition for the ratification of the Lisbon treaty.

Last week, the president of th...