French President Jacques Chirac is to make a "declaration to the French people" on Thursday over the May 29 referendum on the European Union constitution, his office announced Monday.

"At the end of the great democratic debate that has taken place in France at the occasion of the referendum over the ratification of the treaty establishing a constitution for Europe", President Chirac will make an address to the French on Thursday, three days before the Sunday's referendum, Chirac's office said.

Chirac's intervention is to "light the way for the French's choice", according to his office.

Aides said the French president, whose prestige is riding on the outcome of Sunday's vote, wants to "shed light on the choice of the French people" and "highlight what is at stake".

Chirac has made three speeches in television in the framework of campaign for the referendum, whose result is still very unclear.

French Ipsos survey Monday showed that French opposition to the European Union constitution rose to 53 percent.

The main reason behind the resistance is the French people think opposition to this treaty will not bring any disastrous consequences to their country.

The survey also shows that 71 percent French people have already made their voting decision. Analysts say there is increasingly small possibility for the situation to change during the French referendum on the 29th of this month.

According to a previous Ipsos poll published on May 16th, 51 percent French opposed the EU constitution treaty. There have been eight polls showing French opposition starting early this month.

(Xinhua News Agency, CRI.com May 24, 2005)