We Irish have a fine tradition of bringing referendums back for a revote when someone doesn’t like the result, if I recall correctly I’ve voted multiple times on Abortion & Divorce and we had to vote twice on the previous EU Nice treaty too. Sometimes it’s the Government bringing it back and sometimes its a bunch of concerned loons with an agenda.

In the case of the Nice & Lisbon Treaty ratification reruns, the only differences from the originals were dubious “solemn declarations” which either made no substantive difference or else invalidated the ratifications already made by other member-states.

“it’s actually pretty crazy to have a referendum on something as complex as a treaty negotiated between 27 states. What would a ‘No’ vote even mean – it tells you nothing about what part of the treaty people object to.”

If the electorate can not evaluate the implications of a treaty and vote yes or no why would you think they are qualified to select which political party’s manifesto best reflects their interests or philosophy and therefore which representative to vote for?

The population of Ireland found the Lisbon treaty difficult to evaluate as it was a combination of four completely unrelated sets of priorities (and some green window dressing):

• Making the framing and passing of laws in the European Union less time consuming by introducing QMV in some circumstances.
• Rationalizing the European Comission to allow for the increased number of member countries and the excessive complexity of the EC.
• Making foreign and defence policy less accountable to the whims of the electorate in individual countries and more responsive to realpolitik and the needs of the European arms industry (for example, more wars).
• Making Europe more attractilike the US and far east by reducing guarantees about how easily employees can be made redundant or have their working conditions changed.

The treaty was complex and difficult to make sense of becuase it had to be framed in such a way that a popular vote was not required in any of the large, difficult to bully, countries.

Now while the first two priorites are not unreasonable, the second two do not seem to be compatible with a left wing political outlook and I think in this case that those on the left who supported the Lisbon treaty have confused pragmatism with capitulation.

Crookedtimber commenters -100 )-:.

“i vote no to punish the government” ” i dont like Blair”. Great how arguments on that level hold 500 million people hostage to a country of 4,5…

Munchau is right that the threaty doesnt go far enough and that financial crisis has taught os that we need more EU quickly, not less. At this point, the only options are backwards or forwards. Status quo is no option anymore. No country will accept finance free trade without new more powerfull EU regulatiton anymore after the way Irish and even Icelandic banks ran havoc arround the EU. If you want to abolish the EU, just say it, dont hide behind some meta debate.

http://stopblair.eu/

“it’s actually pretty crazy to have a referendum on something as complex as a treaty negotiated between 27 states. What would a ‘No’ vote even mean – it tells you nothing about what part of the treaty people object to.”

Complex adaptive systems such as brains, artificial neural networks and, perhaps, the EU, can actually solve this problem, i.e. they can learn subtle distinctions between similar complex, stimuli based on very simple, “success/failure” feedback. However, this requires multiple stimulus presentations.

In other words, the solution to the problem you raise is … “mulligan” referenda.

Really, it’s this sort of thing that made me glad when the first referendum voted No.

“Regarding the Polish and Czech presidents, it is a matter for them and it is a matter for their people. The ball is now firmly in their court,” European Affairs Minister Dick Roche said at the main Dublin counting centre.

“All I can say is that Ireland has lived up to its responsibilities and it is now up to them to live up to theirs.”

It is a yes from the early boxes – with some of the 60% no constituencies going to 50/50 or even a yes (Tallaght the most clear example).