Irish Reject EU Treaty
It’s truly unbelievable but European politicians have not learned anything from the past. Instead of learning from the referendums in France and the Netherlands, in which French and Dutch voters rejected the EU ‘Constitution,’ they simply decided to change the name of the document (not calling it a ‘constitution’ anymore), after which they thought they could push it through rather quickly. One problem: although the Netherlands and France won’t hold a new referendum, Ireland did have to ask its people permission to sign the new treaty.
Well, the referendum in Ireland was yesterday, and guess what the answer of the Irish is? Hell no.
Here is the problem: Europeans do not think of themselves as ‘Europeans’ yet. We’re first Dutch, German, French, Irish, British and Italian, and then were are European. Another problem is this: the European government is too far away. A third problem is that Europeans feel that the process is going way too fast. European politicians want to transform Europe within 20 years time. That’s nice, but the people aren’t ready for it.
Fourthly, yes the list goes on, Europe is incredibly unpopular because Brussels is constantly messing with domestic affairs. Brussels seem to be of the somewhat idiotic opinion that it can decide about everything, and that someone sitting far far away can tell people what to do, and what not to do. Related to this point is the popular view that Brussels isn’t doing anything big, but instead focusing on minor details. Should people be allowed to eat this? Are they allowed to call this food like that? Shouldn’t there be a special sticker on those kinds of foods? Should people be allowed to smoke in cafes? And so on.
Furthermore, although it seems that Brussels is one when it comes to irrelevant issues, it seems to be incapable of uniting when it comes to the big issues of the day. See Iraq.
Then there is the minor issue of the Euro. Most Dutch, at the very least, believe that the Euro has made daily life considerably more expensive. Yet, we were told that this would not be the case. It was only after the Euro was implemented here in the Netherlands that we found out that our government had agreed to a ludicrous exchange rate. The Germans paid relatively little for the Euro, while we paid relative much. This while the German Mark and Dutch Guilder were almost worth the same before the Euro came along (if I’m not mistaken, only a difference of 10% back then; 1 guilder was 1.10 mark).
Lastly, people get the impression that Europe is becoming too powerful, while they cannot influence anything that happens in Brussels. They have opinions, but Brussels is one big bureaucratic mess, or so the people believe.
But all those concerns have been shoved aside. Instead of listening to the concerns of the people, European politicians have tried to push through laws that would make the situation even worse. Instead of bringing Europe to the people, they continue to present Europe as something that people cannot really influence. Something that’s ‘above them.’
So, is it surprising that the Irish say no? Of course not. Until European politicians bring Europe to the people, the people - when asked about further coordination and unity in Europe - will say no.
Great article.
I’m from Ireland and I voted no. Why? Because if Europe wants a president, ministers, army then thats no problem. I’m all for Europe - but it must be a democratic Europe where power rests with the people. Any president or ministers of Europe should be elected by the people. Not by a bunch of politicians horse trading between themselves.
Bring Europe to the people as you say, and I’m sure the Lisbon treaty would have been passed. But taking power out of the peoples hands and into the hands of some unelected group of people is not democratic and does no one any good.
Exactly. There’s a sense that we cannot influence what happens in Europe. This is, in the Netherlands at least, a dominant feeling people have. I’m sure it’s the same in Ireland.
An aside, I wonder about something; do the Irish, like the Dutch, complain that the big countries have too much influence, or is that not a complaint in Ireland?
I think this referendum was undeniably stupid in the first place, seeing as it allowed small but heartfelt concerns (built up out of proportion by constant annoying steering from Brussels) trump bigger benefits and considerations. The what to eat and what to stick on what is peanuts compared to the issue of finding a simplified economy and entity that can act more easily in the global scene.
We need to build something together and counteract negative forces as well as some of the excesses of the US - we don’t need to feel like European’s foremost to do that.
Perhaps what you see as “benefits” the Irish see as “domination”. While they love to lecture the United States about its unilateralism, the dominant states in the EU — Germany and France — have not been in the least averse to using their dominant position to bully smaller EU members, especially the new democracies in Eastern Europe, and to exempt themselves from key EU regulations such as limits on deficit spending. Who can forget the French Foreign Minister’s infamous comment that the eastern Europeans “missed an opportunity to shut up” in regards to foreign policy initiatives led by France but opposed by Hungary and the Czech Republic? And unlike most of "Europe’s foremost", the Irish have direct and recent experience with colonial domination by an outside power that considers itself automatically a moral and cultural superior.
And the debacle of an EU Constitution accompanied by efforts from France and Germany to force it into place over the active opposition of solid voting majorities even in their own countries was telling of a unique brand of arrogance and unaccountability.
To claim that it is “undeniably stupid” to question the received wisdom of “Europe’s foremost” or their thoughtlessly Europhile American acolytes is to personify the very same criticisms that are usually directed at the hated “neocons” — unmitigated arrogance grounded in paraochialism. For example, maybe you should stop arrogantly thinking that everything is JUST about stopping the horrible, evil, awful United States. There are other issues that might be relevant to, you know, actual Irish people than just regurgitating standardized anti-American scripts.
Jason, here in the Netherlands we often talk and complain about the treatment and power of France and Germany, indeed. It’s a major concern.
As for excesses US: yep, we should do that… and the US should try to push Europe into doing something… anything… instead of sitting and complaining about what the US does but not actually doing anything itself.
"For example, maybe you should stop arrogantly thinking that everything is JUST about stopping the horrible, evil, awful United States."
Maybe you should stop reading things you want to read. But I can understand that "undeniably stupid" is seen as an overreach, so I give you that point.
But I think it remains true that this no vote came for the wrong reasons, especially in a country that has benefitted from a globalized streamlined economy in later years. I mean, the angry cries from fishermen and truck drivers shouldn’t be a factor in this - if the Irish want to benefit then they have to take some strikes while meeting halfway.
Then again, considering how many politicians in France and Germany have made a living giving perks to farmers and companies in violation of the teachings of Adam Smith the reluctance of the Irish i sunderstandable.
However, the rejection of the treaty is actually a blowback for economic liberalism and privatization efforts - so some right-wingers should actually lament this.
The EU constitution, treaty, or whatever is an undemocratic document. They should admit that and respect the people’s will.
The EU needs to be reformed on two points:
1) There must be a clear definition and limitation what the EU is responsible for. Everything else is the business of the member states.
2) All EU affairs should be decided not by bureaucrats or heads of government, but by the people. Only two instances should be allowed to have power on the European level: directly elected representatives and the people itself through binding referendums.
As A.A.B said above:
"All EU affairs should be decided not by bureaucrats or heads of government, but by the people. Only two instances should be allowed to have power on the European level: directly elected representatives and the people itself through binding referendums."
This is the basis of democracy and we are not receiving that in the Lisbon Treaty.
In Ireland there is no great debate about the power of Germany and France. personally I think in the new Lisbon treaty that power is split about as evenly as you can get. Originally germany and France wanted permanent commissioners whilst everyone else got one for 10 years out of 15. Now everyone looses one for 5 year.
But there is too much undemocratic horsetrading between the politicians - For example the Persident of the EU. Why can the people of the EU have no say in who the president is? Are we stupid in some form that it is beyond us?
The truth is that France and germany would not dare hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty because they no it would be booted out as undemocratic.
I don’t believe Ireland voted no because they think Europe is bad, or that its policies are wrong. Ireland voted no because they saw this as giving everything away and having no say afterwards. The EU must fix this deficit.