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Latest update: 30/06/2008
- European Commission - Ireland
The Irish ‘no’ and what comes next
Last year, French President Nicolas Sarkozy re-negotiated a simplified treaty that would allow him to tackle big issues such as defence and immigration without having to worry about institutional questions. The Irish 'no' now contradicts the agenda.
View our special report on The French presidency of the European Union.
France takes over the EU presidency July 1with an outlook that’s gloomier than expected. A year ago, a triumphant Nicolas Sarkozy renegotiated a simplified treaty, which was expected to be ratified in France without any hurdles, and would allow him to shift his focus from endless institutional questions to other important priorities. Ireland’s "no" vote shook this well-planned agenda.
Now the French president has to find a solution to get out of this institutional mess.
After his meeting with Irish PM Brian Cowen on July 11, Nicolas Sarkozy will need to close in on ways to solve the problems expressed by Irish voters. He’ll have to draw up a common battle plan with the other 26 members, without giving in to pressure.
In the end it will be necessary to convince an isolated Ireland to organize a new referendum. But until then, there are many obstacles: the Czech Republic could be one of them. The country remains divided over the treaty. When asked about ratification, euroskeptic President Vaclav Klaus declared the Lisbon Treaty dead and said the Czech vote wouldn’t really count anymore: “The treaty cannot be ratified or implemented, with or without the Czech vote,” he said.
In the Czech Republic, the ratification process starts in the Constitutional Court, which is due to announce its decision this fall. It then goes to the Senate, where the text is expected to be blocked…. The president has little power, but he is pushing ahead with a strong ‘no’ campaign alongside the government of Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, which is far from being pro-Europe.
The Polish parliament has passed the treaty but Polish President Lech Kaczynski is still pondering whether to sign it….The French presidency’s strategy is to get the Czechs and the Swedes - who still haven’t ratified the treaty - on board to kick off the process. France can expect Berlin’s support on the matter. The Irish vote crisis led to warmer ties between France and Germany.
If the text is approved in a new referendum in a short period of time, the Lisbon Treaty could be implemented just in time, by Jan. 1 as per the plan – or hopefully before the European elections in June 2009.
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Comments (2)
Trouble With EU Constitutions
By not putting the EU Constitution, which is the largest voluntary "Transfer of Power" in the history of many nations, to a fair public vote, it's obvious that most of the EU member governments have little regard for what their populations want .... or they believe their citizens are not intelligent enough to vote.
Lovers of Democracy and true Representative Republics should be shocked. Concentration of power is always dangerous. It is difficult enough holding national governments accountable to the people, much less larger bodies that are far removed from the concerns of "real" people.
If those pushing the EU Constitution have no hidden agendas, why not debate the pros and cons openly and why are they so afraid to let the public have a say?
French Presidency of EU and the Lisbon Treaty and the Irish Non
There are many reasons why The Irish Voted no but the main Reason is a lack of trust and transparency in this Treaty.Irish People are wondering why they are the only ones allowed to vote. All the other Parliaments connived to deprive their Citizens of the Vote. Mr Gordon Brown in Britain promised Britons a Vote and then Reneged on his Promise and Denied them it. Also Gisceard De Estaing said in an Interview to Lemonde in 20004 that the Real meaning of the The Treaty will be Hidden in the Text if they Knew they would not Vote on it. So Mr Sarkozy must Reassure the Irish that there is nothing underhand in this treaty,and must ensure that the People of Europe will be able to Vote on Major Decisions concerning them. We get the Impression that it is a big Businessmans Club and looking after the Financiers and trying to Exploit the People, and that they are looking after themselves. So Mr Sarkozy will have to give Guarantees from the likes of Germany and Maybe the European Central Bank like Jean Claude Trichet or Brunker about taking off some of the Taxation from Food and Fuel and not putting up the Interest Rates. We want more Democracy more Transparency in EU .