Nine out of 10 EU citizens have either never heard of the bloc's first constitution or know very little about it, according to a survey on a landmark treaty whose fate is hanging on referendums in at least 10 countries. Perhaps more worryingly for backers of the project, the Eurobarometer poll showed that support for the constitution was lower in countries holding a vote than those that were not. Britain -- whose sceptical public is expected to vote on the treaty next year -- was the only country among the EU's 25 members where opponents to the text outstripped supporters. Rejection by any member state could scupper the treaty. In Spain, whose Feb. 20 poll will be the first referendum, 56 percent of respondents said they were in favour of the constitution and only 7 percent were opposed. The constitution was drafted by a convention of European Union and national lawmakers and was agreed by EU leaders last June after long haggling over voting power. It is designed to ensure the bloc can function efficiently after 10 new members joined last May. --More 2003 Local Time 1703 GMT
