Welcome to European Tribune. It's gone a bit quiet around here these days, but it's still going.
Display:
Our European Identity | 120 comments (120 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
Re: Our European Identity (none / 0)
We'd better hope that people don't vote against the treaty  as a protest vote against Ahern like they did in France against Chirac.

But in France the fact that the PS cadres split and some of them actually campaigned for the non was probably the deciding factor.

We have met the enemy, and he is us — Pogo

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sun Dec 16th, 2007 at 11:06:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Our European Identity (4.00 / 2)
It will be interesting to see who will oppose treaty here - Sinn Fein - probably
- greens - probably not now they are in Government, but they would have before

However the big problem is a possible protest vote against Ahern.  It will be important for the debate to separate out domestic from EU issues.  I think this can and will be done, but there have been some really silly comments from Ahern and Commissioner McCreevy to the effect that we will be the laughing stock of Europe if we vote no.  People really don't respond well to that sort of blackmail - they will expect a debate on the facts.  The risk is a very low pro-EU turnout which will allow even a relatively small but highly mobilised anti-EU vote to make it a relatively close vote.

Index of Frank's Diaries

by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Sun Dec 16th, 2007 at 02:42:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Our European Identity (4.00 / 3)
Sinn Fein and lots of (other!) marginal groups financed by anti-EU groups from outside the country. Anti-abortion people claiming that the EU is going to force abortion on the country, pro-neutrality people recycling their claims about us being forced into NATO (as if that would make one blind bit of difference to the government's kowtowing to Washington) and so-on. The  media will magnify their voices in the name of balance and they'll be unconstrained by little details like the truth as per usual.  

What fun it will all be.

Apparently Merkel and others will be coming to help out Bertie and the lads persuade us.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Sun Dec 16th, 2007 at 03:00:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Our European Identity (4.00 / 2)
Yep - and people will ask Merkel why, if its such a good idea, she doesn't put it to the vote in Germany and all the other European countries.  We all know Bertie is a big boy in Europe, but he has become very small in Ireland recently.  People are looking for an opportunity to give Fianna Fail a kick up the back side.  Lets hope they don't use the Treaty as the opportunity to do that.

Index of Frank's Diaries
by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Sun Dec 16th, 2007 at 03:37:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Our European Identity | 120 comments (120 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
Display: