Lisbon treaty gets nod from three parliaments
By Zoe Casey
Danish and Austrian parliaments approve reform treaty; backing is still needed from the upper house of the Bundestag.
Four countries have in the space of two days approved the Treaty of Lisbon. Portugal's parliament gave the treaty, which is intended to streamline the functioning of EU institutions, its overwhelming support on 23 April, and the Austrian, Danish and German assemblies followed suit on 24 April.
In Denmark, the motion passed with 90 vote in favour and 25 against. The opponents were all from the extreme right wing – the Danish People's Party (Dansk Folkeparti) – and the extreme left wing – the Red-Green Alliance (Enhedslisten) – of the political spectrum. Denmark's parliament has just one chamber, and its monarchy is constitutionally required to respect the parliament's decision.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Denmark's prime minister, decided against a referendum on the treaty last December after the Danish justice ministry concluded that the new treaty would not lead to any loss of national sovereignty. However, the country is still scheduled to hold at least one referendum on Denmark's four EU opt-outs: on defence policy, justice and home affairs, European citizenship and the adoption of the euro. Fogh Rasmussen on 23 April flagged the possibility of a referendum – or referenda – in the autumn, though he also said he was open to a later date.
Denmark was due to hold a referendum on the European Constitution in 2005, but that plan was scrapped after both the French and the Dutch voted against it.
In Austria, the treaty had to be passed by two chambers of parliament. In both instances, there was residual opposition from two right-wing parties, the FPOe and the BZOe. The treaty now simply needs the signature of President Heinz Fischer.
The Bundestag, Germany's parliament, also approved the treaty, again with an overwhelming – 515 to 58 – majority. Of the five different political parties, only the far-left voted against. The treaty still has to be ratified by the parliament's upper house on 23 May, and signed by German President Horst Köhler, although both steps are largely seen as a formality. Chancellor Angela Merkel claimed the approval of the treaty was a “solid basis” for overcoming the paralysis in EU decision-making. “The new treaty is good for Europe,” she told reporters in Berlin.
The treaty is due to come into force on 1 January 2009. So far 10 other member states – Austria, Bulgaria, France, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia – have approved the treaty, though the vote by the Portuguese parliament still needs the formal approval of the country's president. Belgium's state-level parliament has also approved the treaty, though five other assemblies need to add their approval. Ireland, the only country to hold a referendum, will do so on 12 June.
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