Numbers and Democracy in EU

Zuiderzee

If our European Union is to work, then surely it is the voters of Europe who need to make major decisions, as a whole, not less than 1% of all 491 million!

When the treaty was rejected, it was on a turn out of less than 54% - or under 1.5m registered voters. 109,964 people, or 6.8% of the Irish who bothered to vote are responsible for halting the forcing through of the treaty/constitution.

Only 50.01% of those who actually vote in Ireland need to agree to make this major change.
And of all the voters in the EU - we are the only ones who have been given a choice.

One feels like Cuculain tied to a stone or Horatio on the bridge.

It is patently ridiculous. As the great band NOFX said
"Its not the right time to be sober - Now the idiots are taking over" Maybe being Irish I have that advantage at times.

In fairness - if 245,500,001 voted for the treaty and 245,499,999 voted against it, then as a European I’d accept it
– but right now I feel like some American friends, I’m moving to Canada!!

As of May 2007 There are 166 seats in the Dail – the Irish Parliaments executive.

Fianna Fail have 78 seats. In European terms they area broadly Gaullist type party.

Fianna Gael have 51 seats In European terms they are a Social/Christian Democrat hybrid.

Labour have 20 seats. In European terms they are a Socialist/Liberal party

The Green party who are in Government have 6 seats.

The Progressive Democrats (who no longer exist as a party) have 2 seats


There are 5 independents, or non-party TD’s (MPs / Deputies) – I do not know where they stand individually on Lisbon.

In addition, between them the main parties and independents have 12 seats in the European Parliament.


Campaigning against the treaty are Sinn Fein, with 4 seats are the only party in the Dail objecting to the Lisbon Treaty.

In addition the party has one seat in the EU parliament based in the Republic, and with the parties’ cross border nature a second EU seat based in Northern Ireland.


The other grouping given a high profile in the Media campaigning against Lisbon are Libertas – a grouping who have no seats in the Irish Parliament, no council seats or any representation in the European Parliament.


Sinn Fein with 6% of the Irish vote and Libertas, with no mandate, are being promoted by the Media as the main opposition to Lisbon.


There are other groups who oppose the second Lisbon referendum, but the Irish Media have chosen to ignore this broader opposition, instead promoting a tiny group as the main opposition.


Then again, the Irish Government controls funding of RTE and licencing for all other radio and TV media in the state - makes you think.

http://citizensimon.blogspot.com/