French President Nicholas Sarkozy has proposed to the Irish prime minister that a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty be held on the same day as elections to the European Parliament next June. Mr Sarkozy made the suggestion during a private discussion with Prime Minister, or Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, according to reports in the Irish Times, during a six-hour whistle-stop trip to Dublin to meet with government leaders and campaigners from both sides of the treaty battle. Mr Sarkozy spent three minutes with each campaigner. At the same time, publicly, the French president denied that he had said Ireland must vote again. "I never said that Ireland had to organise a new referendum. I said that at some stage or another the Irish had to be given the opportunity to give their opinion." Last week, he told a private session with deputies from his UMP party in Paris that Ireland would have to hold a second referendum, according to an attendee of the meeting.
French President Nicholas Sarkozy has proposed to the Irish prime minister that a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty be held on the same day as elections to the European Parliament next June.
Mr Sarkozy made the suggestion during a private discussion with Prime Minister, or Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, according to reports in the Irish Times, during a six-hour whistle-stop trip to Dublin to meet with government leaders and campaigners from both sides of the treaty battle.
Mr Sarkozy spent three minutes with each campaigner.
At the same time, publicly, the French president denied that he had said Ireland must vote again.
"I never said that Ireland had to organise a new referendum. I said that at some stage or another the Irish had to be given the opportunity to give their opinion."
Last week, he told a private session with deputies from his UMP party in Paris that Ireland would have to hold a second referendum, according to an attendee of the meeting.
At what point will the elites stop arrogantly thinnking they can force it down our throats and engage with the electorate over the future of europe ? keep to the Fen Causeway
This is a "No" talking point that is - surprise ... False:
History of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe
Spanish voters were the first to go to the polls in a referendum on ratification on 20 February 2005. Both the government and the main opposition party campaigned for a 'yes' vote. The Constitution was passed by a large margin, with 77 per cent of voters in favour, but major opposition parties declared that the 42 per cent turnout was an embarrassment for the governing Spanish Socialist Workers' Party.
In the wake of the French and Dutch rejections, Luxembourg pressed ahead with its scheduled consultative referendum 10 July 2005. Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker stated that he would resign in the event of a rejection. The result was 56% in favour with a high turnout of 88%.
We should not be helping to spread it.
