BRUSSELS, May 19 (Xinhuanet) -- The low house of Belgium's parliament, the Chamber of Deputies, approved here on Thursday the European Union (EU) Constitution with votes of 118 in favor, 18 against and one abstention.

    Addressing the low house before the vote, Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt said the EU constitution creates a framework allowing the EU and its member states to continue their development.

    "It is not a question of a finish point, but of a new starting point," he said.

    The prime minister warned that if the adoption of the constitution fails, Europe would see itself "weakened" and "paralyzed," and what Europe has so far achieved would be "destroyed."

    "Belgium measures the stake perfectly," he stressed.

    However, opponents of the EU Constitution held on Thursday afternoon a rally in the downtown Brussels to protest against the adoption of the constitution without a referendum.

    In late April, the Senate, or the upper house of Belgium's parliament, approved the constitution with 54 votes in favor, nine against and one abstention.

    Under Belgium's laws, the EU Constitution must still be approved by regional parliaments of Belgium.

    As a result, Verhofstadt also extended hopes the regional parliamentary assemblies would be "quite enthusiastic with the idea to ratify this text quickly." Enditem