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Ireland must vote again according to Sarkozy
By MaltaMedia News
Jul 17, 2008 - 9:28:24 AM
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French President Nicolas Sarkozy has told a meeting of deputies from his UMP party that "the Irish will have to vote again" on the Lisbon Treaty, according to a report in the Irish Times.
France, which holds EU presidency this year, is the first country to state publicly and unequivocally that it wants the Irish to have a second vote.
Reacting to the comments, Irish foreign minister Michael Martin said that Ireland will take its own decision on the matter but it was too early to speculate on what this would be.
23 out of 27 member states, including Malta, have ratified the Lisbon Treaty, and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told the Italian Parliament on Tuesday that he does not expect another 'no'.
Asking Ireland to vote again is a moot point in the EU; while some see it as the only way forward, it is also perceived as undemocratic disrespectful to Irish people.
The EU is also considering the possibility of a second 'no' from Ireland. In this scenario, a two-speed Europe is being touted, with the EU going ahead with the Lisbon Treaty while Ireland is given new concessions.
An article in French daily Le Monde suggests that an Ireland package could be negotiated granting all member states a permanent EU Commissioner, and reassuring the Irish that abortion, taxation and neutrality issues will not be affected. These amendments will make the Lisbon package more acceptable to the Irish and less likely to lead to another Irish 'no'.
© Copyright 2008 by MaltaMedia.com
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Latest update:
Jul 18, 2008 - 2:59:59 PM CET
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