Ireland Votes on Fate of E.U. Treaty
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
DUBLIN, Ireland — Ireland cast ballots yesterday on a treaty overhauling the European Union, in a referendum that by a fluke of constitutional law gives 3 million Irish voters a big say in the future lives of nearly 500 million Europeans.
For the Lisbon Treaty to go into force, all 27 E.U. nations must approve it. In 26 of those countries, the decision is up to politicians, where support is solid. Only Ireland is bound by its constitution to put it to the citizens — and many of them are by tradition proudly contrarian. Polls taken as the vote neared showed the issue too close to call, but with the “no” vote gaining steam.
