Parliaments in Austria and Slovakia voted on Wednesday to ratify the European Union (EU) constitution, which won applause from the EU headquarters in Brussels.

The lower house of the Austrian parliament voted overwhelmingly with a ballot of 181-1 to ratify the EU constitution treaty.

The only exception was Barbara Rozenkranz of the far right Freedom Party. The party had demanded a referendum on the treaty but failed.

Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel said the constitution was "for many, myself included, not perfect enough" but held big advantages for all citizens of the bloc.

"It means everybody will have an EU passport, people will have important citizen's rights in a democratic, open community," he was quoted as saying.

The ratification is expected to be rubber-stamped by the upper house of parliament and then promulgated by the end of the month.

On the same day, the Slovak parliament voted 116-27 to endorse the constitution.

All 25 EU member countries must ratify the constitution for it to take effect, but it is up to each country to decide whether to hold a referendum or just a parliamentary vote.

Wednesday's votes mean that 7 EU member states (Lithuania, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Greece, Austria, Slovakia) have already ratified the EU Constitution.

A referendum on the Constitution in Spain won the majority support in February, but a formal ratification, by the vote of the Senate, is expected in the coming few weeks in the country.

European Commission Vice President Margot Wallstrom extended on Wednesday the warm welcome to the "successful" ratification of the EU Constitution in the two countries.

"The two approvals today, which are the first of a series of parliamentary ratification in May, and the fact that almost one-third of Member States have concluded the ratification, take the Union a significant step closer to the entry into force of the Constitution," said the vice-president in a written statement.

However, eyes are now turned to France for it will hold a referendum on the constitution on May 29.
 
Earlier surveys last month show that the French citizens could vote against the EU Constitution, arousing EU-wide worry about the possible abortion of the EU' constitution-making process.

Fortunately, however, a poll released on Tuesday indicated that of those who planned to vote, 51 percent favored the constitution, while 49 percent were opposed.

Right after the referendum in France, the Netherlands plans a June 1 referendum on the constitution, while Luxembourg is also to hold one on June.

The latest survey show that the Dutch voters could reject the constitution.

(Xinhua News Agency May 12, 2005)