'A more democratic, not a less democratic Europe, a Europe of peoples'

national | eu | opinion/analysis Wednesday May 14, 2008 20:00 by jmstipe20 saoirse at iol dot ie

Statement by Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, President of Republican Sinn Féin

Statement by Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, President of Republican Sinn Féin to press conference, May 14, Dublin.
Republican Sinn Féin calls for a NO vote to defend sovereignty, neutrality and democracy and defeat the Lisbon Treaty in the coming referendum on June 12.

Those supporting Lisbon have freely admitted that it is 95% - 96% the proposed EU Constitution which was rejected by the people of France and Holland in referenda in 2005. Lisbon is the EU Constitution by the back door in that it would constitute or establish a new European Union in the form of a supranational Federal State.

Qualified Majority Rule

Lisbon is also a power-grab by the EU's Big States, Germany, France, Britain and Italy. By making EU law-making mainly dependent on population size, it would increase the relative weight of the Big States in making EU laws in future and reduce that of smaller States like the 26 Counties.

Sovereignty

Under Lisbon more than 50 policy areas will no longer be covered by a member state's veto. Another clause gives the EU Council of Ministers the right to extend its powers in all areas with the exception of defence.

Neutrality

The "mutual defence" clause contained in Lisbon would commit all member states to assist by "all means in their power" any EU state which is "the victim of armed aggression on its territory". This is a significant step towards the full militarisation of the EU. It will be recalled that a Fianna Fáil general election manifesto in recent times guaranteed no participation in the NATO-led Partnership for Peace without a referendum. Yet 18 months later the Fianna Fáil-led administration brazenly brought the State into that Partnership for Peace without a vote of the electorate. Neutrality is being steadily eroded.

Democracy

The non-elected EU Commission holds the power to initiate legislation. Under Lisbon the 26-County State will lose its commissioner for five out of every 15 years, ie for one-third of the time.
Lisbon would give the EU Court of Justice the final decision on what our human and civil rights are in a wide range of areas. Already its "Laval ruling" set the "free movement of goods and services" as superior to the right of workers to strike. The Lisbon Treaty will further this agenda, placing competition above the rights of the working people.

The issue at stake here is the Lisbon Treaty, the movement of power towards the centre in Brussels and the tightening of the EU grip, NOT the question of EU membership. If Lisbon is defeated, life will go on as before - as happened when France and Holland rejected the proposed constitution - and the whole matter will have to be reconsidered. In fact this State could give a lead to the other peoples of Europe to demand their own referenda in turn, thus increasing democratic accountability.

Voting NO to the Lisbon Treaty/EU Constitution is opposing the creation of an undemocratic superstate, increased militarisation, the erosion of neutrality, the privatisation of public services and unfettered capitalism. We want a more democratic, not a less democratic Europe, a Europe of peoples.