With just a week to go campaigners fighting Europe's constitutional treaty are heading for victory in French and Dutch referendums, according to opinion polls this weekend an outcome that threatens to stall the integration process among the EU's 25 members. The No camp may have received a further boost yesterday after the election setback of Gerhard Schröder, Germany's chancellor, in North Rhine-Westphalia. It could encourage a stronger French protest vote on May 29 against President Jacques Chirac and the government of Jean-Pierre Raffarin, the prime minister.

In a sign of the increasing concern among Europe's political leaders, Mr Schröder plans to attend a socialist Yes rally in Toulouse on Thursday night, his third intervention in the French debate in a month. José Luis Rodr´guez Zapatero, Spain's prime minister, is due to campaign for the constitution in Lille on the same day.