Ratification of the Lisbon Treaty in Ireland: Democracy in Action?

This is an unpublished article from the 20 October 2009.

Sixteen months ago only 53 per cent of Ireland’s electorate refused to give the answer demanded of them: now, with the Celtic tiger’s tail curled firmly between its legs, the Irish have returned the result the European establishment expected of them, resoundingly so. In a turnout of 58 per cent – unfortunately strong by European election standards – 1.2 million Irish men and women, 67 per cent of those who voted, said ‘Yes’ to the Lisbon treaty, reasserting Ireland’s commitment to the European project. Despite the perilous state of Irish finances, this result is not, as has oft been suggested, the consequence of a frightened and cowed electorate. A glimpse north to Iceland bares witness to the potentially treacherous waters outside Europe’s protective harbour. Nevertheless, the Irish people’s statement of intent reflects the blossoming of a more democratic future for Europe: a future in which politicians finally engage in the intelligent, grown-up conversation that Europe needs, and her electorate is fervently demanding.

‘I think that there was a respect for the democratic process and the fact that it couldn’t be overturned without returning to the democratic process,’ stated a jubilant Brian Cowen, Ireland’s often embattled Taoiseach, following the 20 per cent swing. Cowen is right, the ‘democratic process’ was fundamental in the ‘Yes’ victory, but this ‘respect’ was new, and entirely absent the first time around. The Lisbon Treaty is a technical, inaccessible document, so much so that during the 2008 campaign Cowen admitted you’d have to be ‘insane’ to read it: he hadn’t, and the electorate responded accordingly to their leader’s incompetence. A year and a half later, and the people of the Irish Republic are probably the most well-informed on the continent, with concerns about the status of Ireland’s European commissioner, military neutrality, and the imposition of abortion laws all firmly discussed and clearly satisfactorily addressed. The political establishment mounted a thorough campaign, aided by both business and Ireland’s Europhile intellectual community. Where the ‘No’ campaign had found traction in the electorate’s lack of knowledge in 2008, a myriad of voices responded during the debates of 2009, so that people could make an informed decision.

In the opinion of the author, the Europe Union has both the potential and necessity to take a more prominent role in world politics, one that none of its constituent member nations alone can take, if a progressive, environmentally sensitive, broadly liberal agenda is to be effectively argued for and implemented on a global level. This will only be possible if Europe can present the united front that shared culture and history, alongside the free movement of peoples, allows for. To realize this potential Europe needs to have an active and engaged citizenry, the keystone of a healthy democracy. The Lisbon Treaty, via far too many twists and turns, is the descendent of the lofty 2001 Laeken Declaration, calling for the European Union to be ‘more democratic, transparent and effective.’ If this unique experiment in European democracy is to achieve even a fraction of its potential, our leaders need to stop preaching and start listening. The Irish experience is a good lesson, and a first step in the right direction.