EU leaders, including Gordon Brown, have pledged to continue ratification of the Lisbon Treaty regardless of the Irish No vote. Czech President Vaclav Klaus is the only leader to break ranks, and declare the Treaty dead. Nicolas Sarkozy will fly to Prague today to press the Czechs to continue ratification. Saturday's FT reported that the EU Commission will conduct a "flash opinion poll" in Ireland to find out why people voted No.
What EU leaders are saying:
"I don't think you can say the treaty of Lisbon is dead even if the ratification process will be delayed."
- Jean-Pierre Jouyet, French secretary of state for European affairs,
Reuters, 16 June
"I am convinced that we need this treaty. Therefore we are sticking with our goal for it to come into force. The
ratification process must continue."
- German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Reuters,14 June
"Of course we have to take the Irish referendum seriously. But a few million Irish cannot decide on behalf of 495
million Europeans,"
- German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble,
Deutsche Welle
(What he forgets to say is that 495 million Europeans have not been allowed a say)
"We think it is a real cheek that the country that has benefited most from the EU should do this. There is no other
Europe than this treaty. With all respect for the Irish vote, we cannot allow the huge majority of Europe to be
duped by a minority of a minority of a minority."
- Axel Schäfer, SPD leader in the Bundestag,
(But the huge majority in Europe are against it)
The treaty "will be applied, albeit a few months late".
Lopez Garrido, Spanish secretary of state for EU affairs
Forbes 15 June
"The Treaty is not dead. The Treaty is alive, and we will try to work to find a solution."
- European Commission President Jose Barroso, Press Conference 14 June
"Citizens are transmitting signals of fear and uncertainty. You can say it's not rational, but we need to react
because they are signs of difficulties with the democratic process."
- Giulio Tremonti, Italian finance minister,
FT, 16 June
"Now is the time for a courageous choice by those who want coherent progress in building Europe, leaving out those
who despite solemn, signed pledges threaten to block it."
- Italian President Giorgio Napolitano,
In no case should the Union be stopped in its tracks. We need to examine the existing possibilities to assure in
any case the entry into force of the Treaty and to associate Ireland with it."
- Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme.
"The treaty is not dead. The EU is in constant crisis management -- we go from one crisis to another and finally we
find a solution,"
- Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb,
Deutsche Welle, 16 June
"We shall effectively look for ways to ensure it comes into force. Irrespective of the results of the referendum in
Ireland, I think that we can deliver an optimistic message - Europe will find a way of implementing this treaty,"
- Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk,
BBC, 13 June
A round up of comments is available on the Open Europe blog