With the popularity of President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin – and French rightist forces more broadly – in steep decline, a “no” vote could have tipped the public against ratification.
由于雅克·希拉克总统和皮埃尔·拉法兰总理广受欢迎，加之法国右翼力量的势力大幅削弱，一票否决票就可能使法国民众转而反对草案的通过。