Imagine that you are dreaming one night that you live in a far-off democratic country. At first everything seems normal and you are quite happy with your life. But soon, portions of your dream take on an Alice-in-Won­derland-like quality. You realize that all is not what it initially seemed; you feel decidedly less than free; and you don’t know how to escape.

The officials you elect to represent you seem powerless to pass any leg­islation. Instead, the vast majority of your country’s laws are presented to you by a detached and mysterious council. Members of this council are exalted and honored, yet you hardly know who they are. They control all aspects of your life, from how much you are paid to where you can buy your clothes and what kind of car you can drive, yet it is illegal for anyone to know how any council member voted on anything—even when the council member supposedly “represents” your own country.

You sense a chilling air that things in this democracy are not quite right, but like the grinning Cheshire Cat, the answers slyly elude you before you have a chance to pin them down.

Suddenly you wake up in a cold sweat, and gaze about yourself bewildered for a few moments before remembering reality. Relief slowly sinks in. Unless, that is, you live in the European Union—in which case the nightmare is real.

Many citizens of France are now waking up from such a nightmare on the eve of a May 29th French vote on the new European Union constitution. The new constitution would severely limit the sovereignty of all 25 member nations, instead routing most important legislative decisions through the EU Council of Ministers in Brussels . The Council, which consists of unelected representatives from member nations, votes in secret on legislation which may only be introduced by an even smaller commission. The effect of the constitution is to make it virtually impossible for any member country to veto an EU Council Law or decision.

The British government reports that it now receives 80% of all its laws from Brussels . The Council already exercises legislative control over issues of commerce, industry, social and labor policy, the environment, agriculture, fishing, and foreign trade. Under the new constitution, this power would expand to include foreign relations, international agreements, the armed forces and arms industries, and criminal and civil justice law and procedure.

In the near future, all 25 member nations will vote on whether to accept the 325-page constitution. 10 EU member nations are holding a public vote in referendums, and the remaining 15 are determining the issue through Parliamentary votes. Italy , Spain , Greece , Slovenia , Lithuania and Hungary have already voted to ratify the constitution. It must be ratified unanimously to go into effect, although if only non-founding nations veto it, officials have indicated they intend to forge a compromise and ultimately continue.

Although French President Jacques Chirac has publicly championed the constitution, the French public is highly divided over the issue, with as many as 58% of voters indicating that they will reject it on voting day. The European community is holding its collective breath until then; a French veto would essentially kill the treaty.

Europeans who like the EU seem to like it for 2 reasons: it will be good for business, making everyone richer; or it will give Europe more clout in world affairs, making them feel more important. The price is merely the weakening of democracy and freedom. As the ratification vote nears, it’s no wonder that at least some French citizens are having second thoughts about this deal.