oggbashan
Dying Truth seeker
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2002
- Posts
- 56,017
The Irish people voted on a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty that replaced the draft European Constitution rejected by voters in France and The Netherlands.
The Irish voted NO!
The European Commission hadn't taken the French and Dutch No votes as final and had brought back almost everything in the rejected constitution as the Lisbon Treaty. Despite promises by the UK government, the UK's citizens have not been allowed to vote on the Treaty. Only the Irish, obliged by their own constitution, had the right to vote on the Treaty.
The Treaty is complex but provides for more federal power to European (unelected) Commissioners, a formal Presidency, formal foreign affairs etc.
In US terms it is like asking the States to give up powers, not to Congress and the Senate, but to the US government service officials.
Congratulations to the Irish for striking a blow for democracy.
Og
The Irish voted NO!
The European Commission hadn't taken the French and Dutch No votes as final and had brought back almost everything in the rejected constitution as the Lisbon Treaty. Despite promises by the UK government, the UK's citizens have not been allowed to vote on the Treaty. Only the Irish, obliged by their own constitution, had the right to vote on the Treaty.
The Treaty is complex but provides for more federal power to European (unelected) Commissioners, a formal Presidency, formal foreign affairs etc.
In US terms it is like asking the States to give up powers, not to Congress and the Senate, but to the US government service officials.
Congratulations to the Irish for striking a blow for democracy.
Og