Friday, June 13, 2008

Irish Voters Say "NO"

The chasm between some European voters and political elites is growing. Ireland’s unambiguous rejection of Lisbon raises profound questions, in particular about integration policy but regarding also the economic and old fashioned Frankfurt monetary strategy, and its dire consequences.

As Michael Martin, Ireland’s foreign minister recognized: “Perhaps there is a disconnect between Europe and its people, between European Union institutions and the people”. Indeed.

Undisciplined voters, once more after the Dutch and French votes in 2005, did not do what their leaders wanted. Could the latter be able to prove that they are right and the voters wrong, instead of pushing as usual for more of the same policies that voters reject? Could they, really?

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