EU leaders agree on first constitution

BRUSSELS, Belgium - European Union leaders agreed Friday on the first constitution for the reunited continent, spelling out the voting system and nations' rights for the bloc's 25 members but keeping out any reference to God, officials said.

Leaders adopted the constitution about an hour after receiving the final translated text.

The selection of the new president for the EU's executive commission was delayed because of continuing disagreement, EU spokeswoman Cristina Gallach said.

Leaders had hoped for a deal on the constitution Friday to boost the EU's credibility in the eyes of a skeptical public, a week after an electoral drubbing and six months after their last attempt.

The constitution aims to streamline the EU's complex institutions and boost its image on the world stage by creating an EU foreign minister. Fearing gridlock in the expanded club, the document also aims to curb areas where individual countries can veto decisions.

The final text resolves one of the most bitter disputes - the voting system - by requiring that a measure can pass only if approved by at least 15 countries representing 65 percent of the bloc's 455-million people.

A measure could be blocked only if vetoed by at least four countries with 35 percent of the population - another safeguard to prevent the biggest countries from running roughshod over the rest.

All 25 EU member states must formally ratify the treaty within two years before it can take effect.

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