DUBLIN, Ireland (AP) — Ireland’s citizens voted Thursday on whether to accept or reject the European Union’s new reform treaty, a painstakingly negotiated pact that would be damaged or destroyed by an Irish ”No.”
The Lisbon Treaty seeks to reshape EU institutions and powers to cope with the bloc’s near-doubling in size over the past four years from 15 to 27 nations with 495 million people. It contains many of the same reform plans as the EU’s previous master plan: a constitution rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005.
This time, among EU nations, only Ireland’s 3 million registered voters present a serious threat to ratification. The other 26 members are requiring approval only through their national governments and so far, 18 EU members have done so.
From my live cam chat:
palestine4ever: British politics confuse me, Emma.
YourMoralLeader: Emma, should Ireland enter the EU?
palestine4ever: The Right is opposed to extending detention for terror suspects, while the Left is cheerleading the erosion of any semblance of judicial sanity.
Emma: No
YourMoralLeader: why?
palestine4ever: "In truth, 42 days is just one – perhaps the most salient example – of the insidious, surreptitious and relentless erosion of fundamental British freedoms."He listed the growth of the "database state," government "snooping" ID cards, the erosion of jury
palestine4ever: trials and other issues."This cannot go on. It must be stopped and for that reason today I feel it is incumbent on me to make a stand," said Mr Davis.
Emma: I don’t think it needs to.
palestine4ever: That’s a Tory. That’s just weird.
YourMoralLeader: have you gone on any political protests in your life emma? demonstrated for anything? waved a placard?
Emma: I was a member of the youth council here once lol
YourMoralLeader: what did you do?
Emma: a few politicians wanted my vote…
YourMoralLeader: i bet
YourMoralLeader: and other things
Emma: But I never paid any interest
Emma: har de har
YourMoralLeader: did you intern for any?
Emma: No
