The Irish were the only people allowed to vote on the new EU treaty (their constitution mandates it), and they have apparently rejected it. Personally, I think that this is good for the EU because the treaty was centralizing power even more than it otherwise is and that allowing competition between the different governments over policy is good. The BBC has an article here:
This vote was supposed to finish the treaty, but you get this response from the EU president.
The final votes was 53 percent "NO" and 47 percent "YES."
Under Irish law, any amendment to an EU treaty requires an amendment to the Irish constitution and all constitutional amendments require approval by referendum.
The official result is not yet in, but Irish Justice Minister Dermot Ahern says substantial vote tallies around the country show the Lisbon Treaty has been rejected.
"It looks like this will be a 'no' vote," Mr Ahern said. "At the end of the day, for a myriad of reasons, the people have spoken." . . .
UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage, who campaigns for Britain's exit from the EU, said: "The only people to have a say on the treaty have kicked it into the long grass." . . .
This vote was supposed to finish the treaty, but you get this response from the EU president.
Despite pronouncements that the treaty would be shelved if the Irish voted against it, European Union President Jose Manuel Barosso said it is still up for discussion.
"Our position is this one; 18 member states have already approved the treaty. One, Ireland, voted no. We should go on now with the process. At the same time, the leaders should meet should meet and see what possibilities are there for a collective response to this issue, because there is a collective responsibility," he said. . . .
The final votes was 53 percent "NO" and 47 percent "YES."
Related Posts
Has the Euro Zone failed?Václav Klaus, president of the Czech Republic, thinks so. At least, it hasn't obviously produced the promised increase- A note on justice in the US and EuropeFrom the Economist magazine:. . . Beyond such differences in legal cultures, one fact is inescapable. In America a mode
- European Central Bank warns against higher taxesWith the leading French presidential candidate calling for higher taxes, this warning is unlikely to be heard. From the
European Countries Debt as a percentage of GDPWhile Greece and Italy are in trouble with debt to GDP ratios over one, Spain is roughly similar to the US. In just a - Prediction: France's economy will worsen relative to the rest of the EUWith Krugman and other Democrats claiming that austerity policies have been the problem in Europe, we will soon have a
- Here is my bet: Britain's financial sector will do better than the EU's in the futureFor those who blame private financial institutions and not the government for the recession, the EU is offering them wh
Irish reject new EU Treaty
4/
5
Oleh
abudzar
