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Europe to press ahead despite Ireland vote

— Photo: AFP

Supporters of the “no” vote celebrate after the treaty was rejected on Friday.

London: Ireland, a tiny European Union (E.U.) member-State constituting less than a per cent of E.U. population of some 500 million, on Thursday rejected the Lisbon Treaty by an overwhelming majority vote and has hence, plunged the 27-nation E.U. into deep political and constitutional crises.

The E.U. is obviously shaken but not dismayed as political leaders in Brussels looked for a way round Ireland’s rejection of the Lisbon Treaty. The E.U. vowed to press ahead with credible alternatives. The more cynical perception of the Lisbon Treaty is that it aims to hasten and consolidate E.U.’s decision-making power and also streamline growing power of European bureaucracy.

E.U. leaders’ meet next week could herald new initiatives and strategy to further the European cause and identity. The E.U. is fast emerging the world’s largest trading bloc and currently accounts for a quarter of Indian exports and about a fifth of importsThe Irish rejection of the Lisbon Treaty is “embarrassing but not a disaster” and somehow the E.U. will plod along as Germany and France are also determined to seek a consensus and seek alternatives to boost the E.U.

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