Fra Brussels Journal, af John Laughland
Well, I was wrong to predict a Yes vote in the Irish referendum on the Lisbon treaty. I take comfort not only in the result itself, by which I am obviously delighted, but also in the fact that my friend and colleague, Anthony Coughlan, a professor at Trinity College, Dublin who is a euro-critical activist who campaigns tirelessly and superbly against European integration, sent round a pessimistic note on the morning of the vote (12 June) saying that he feared that the treaty would be ratified.
The EU elites were quick to tell the world that they intend to disregard the Irish vote and press ahead with ratification of the treaty nonetheless. They have demonstrated their brazen contempt for democracy and the law before. They did it in 2000 when Ireland voted against the Nice treaty (it had to vote again the following year); they did it in 1992 when Denmark voted against the Maastricht treaty (the Danes were also made to vote again until they got the answer ‘right’).
Filed under: EU, folkeafstemning, Irland | 1 Comment »