Irish voters reject EU reform treaty

Irish voters reject EU reform treaty
WATCH VIDEO
Source: CCTV.com | 06-14-2008 10:26
http://www.cctv.com/english/20080614/102003.shtml
http://www.cctv.com/video/worldwidewatch/2008/06/worldwidewatch_300_20080614_...

Irish voters have rejected the EU reform treaty, putting the entire EU reform plan in peril and humiliating Ireland's political leaders. The proposed reforms would create a European Union president and a more powerful foreign policy chief.

The Irish government released the referendum results on Friday, showing the Lisbon treaty failed by a margin of 53.4 to 46.6 percent. Ireland was the only European country to put it to a popular vote.

The outcome appears likely to throw the EU into renewed diplomatic turmoil and fuel cries across the continent for more democratic accountability.

Irish government leaders hope to find a compromise solution. They say the result puts the government in an awkward situation, but refuse to declare the treaty dead.

Irish Justice Minister Dermot Ahern "Obviously it's disappointing. It's quite clear that there's a very substantial 'no' vote, but you know a referendum is the essence of democracy. This treaty had to be ratified by all 27 so to a certain extent we're in uncharted waters."
The EU says while it respects "the democratic will" of Irish voters, the process of ratifying the treaty should proceed.
The European Commission president has urged the other 26 EU members to continue to work to ratify the treaty. 14 have already done so.

European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said, "The 27 heads of government will meet now next week and should see how to proceed. But as far as I understood from my conversation from Prime Minister Cowen, he also believes the treaty is not dead. I believe the treaty is alive and we should now try to find a solution."

The Lisbon Treaty was painstakingly negotiated following the failure of the EU's proposed constitution, which French and Dutch voters rejected in 2005.

Both documents sought to reshape EU powers and institutions.




Editor:Zhang Ning

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Ireland
• EU

[zwan2]

haha !! good job ireland, great country !!

[worcesterwombat]

well done Ireland! :-)

[STUNTS1516]

cant read? mate ireland has the highest adult literacy rate in the world. go read a book.

[hannigan06]

I help you with the third man. Ireland was the only country to allow public opinion. Thats how you run a country. Letting the people decide.

From a history of being ruled. You cannot blame any Irish for not wanting power they worked so hard for to go away.

[hannigan06]

People do it because putting money in Irish hands is a smart business plan. Your see is at dumb. A business man see it as a way to make money.

[STUNTS1516]

first of all ireland is'nt loyal to america, irish are prowd of just being irish and thats why we werent bowing to what is essentialy a facist eu ragime,were not going to support more militarisation and thats just how it is,it seems the eu's all about supporting democracy untill somebody sais somthing they dont like.

[alainvig]

yes but if you as Irish joined Europe in full, you would make Europe more powerful, and you would not need America providing for your defense, Ireland could join the European defense force like Eurocorps, and Ireland could have kicked off the fucking Americans off Europe, once and for all.

it's America who needs Europe, Europe does not need America, and it would not matter to Europeans.

[alainvig]

yea you are right, Obama is not loyal to America, he is loyal to Africa, he just demanded Europeans taxpayers to pay 50 Billions euros in financial help to Afirca.

Look how many Europeans are dying of hunger in Europe already

Africa is a doomed continent, 30 years ago, the E.U. (which you was not part of yet ) already cancelled the debts Africa owned to Europe, but at no avail, they are still rampaged by corruption and famine, overpopulation, and immigration in Europe.

[alainvig]

I neither do not like Europe to be pawn of America, i love far more Europe than America, which i despise like shit. i put shit on fucking USA.

but i am not against Ireland, i only do not like their pro-American stance.

[STUNTS1516]

irelands actually 3rd on the H.D.I (human develop index) and have the highest literacy rates in the world. Americas 23rd :) dont believe me?...wiki it :)

[STUNTS1516]

your an idiot. for 2 main reasons.

1. 80% of jobs in ireland are provided my telecomunications within the country only about 5% are american. secondly the reason we rejected it is because it involved us buildin weapons and us irish pride ourselves on our neutrality and we didnt wanna be a pawn in americas games,btw ireland provides 55% of all agricultural producein america. america needs us alot more then we need them,hence why obamas here in a couple months to beg us for our aid :)