The Finnish government has said an improved overall "political climate" is necessary to give a slightly re-drafted EU constitution a chance, as Helsinki takes over the EU's helm on Saturday (1 July).
Just hours before the launch of the six-month presidency, Finnish prime minister Matti Vanhanen told journalists in Helsinki on Friday that it is crucial to wait for next year's elections in France and the Netherlands before a real solution to the EU's institutional limbo can be found.
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