Bludgeoning assent

It seems, Ireland is to be bludgeoned into assent just like The Netherlands and France were after their initial no's. The oh so democratic European Union decided to..... let Ireland hold another referendum!

Perhaps they will be kept voting till they give the 'right' answer.

Lucky Irish. If the obligation to hold a referendum were not in their constitution, the very same would happen to them as happened to the Dutch and French: change a few words, shift a few paragraphs, delete a song and give the thing another name, declare that a referendum is no longer needed and approve it before anyone has a chance to protest.


They have a very strange definition of democracy in Europe.

No wonder I am turning against the EU as an entity, while I used to be one of the strongest proponents. The democratic content of Europe is minimal and seems to be declining with every back room decision made, every forced acquiescence, every coercion, every hollowing out of our rights for the benefit of us all.

Yes, I feel bullied. And angry. Still.

Worst of all is Germany's nefast role in dredging up the EU Constitution (Lisbon Treaty) after it had been rejected by French and Dutch voters. Having made one blunder, they are now making another by refusing to accept the Irish verdict as well.

Why are they so maniacal about this? Because the treaty establishes German primacy in the EU's voting structure. This is raw national interest – camouflaged, of course.

So Brian Cowen – already the most reviled Taoiseach since the creation of the Irish state – is bludgeoned into a second vote. This is what now passes for EU statecraft. A tactical case can be made, that fear will induce Irish voters to change their minds as GDP contracts by 4pc next year. Even if that proves correct, will it convince anybody that the European Project is advancing with democratic assent?

What if the Irish vote 'No' again? Will Germany carry out its threat to "suspend" them from the EU, and thereby risk a final revulsion against Europe and the unravelling of the post-War order?

One notes that Germany has acquired the taste for bullying small nations. Mr Steinbrück threatened to "take a whip" to Switzerland. The sooner Germans take a whip to Mr Steinbrück and all he stands for, the better. Otherwise the rest of us will have to start examining our options.

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