DUBLIN—Irish voters have rejected the European Union's reform treaty, Reuters calculations showed on Friday.
With votes counted in 42 out of 43 constituencies in Ireland the "No" camp had an insurmountable lead of 116,787 votes over the "Yes" side. The total size of the electorate in the remaining constituency was just 105,053.
France, Germany urge EU Treaty Process to Continue
PARIS—France and Germany issued a joint statement on Friday regretting the Irish vote on the European Union treaty but urging other EU states to press on with ratifying the accord.
"We note the democratic decision of the Irish citizens with all the respect due to it, even though we regret it," a statement in French from the Elysee Palace in Paris said.
It said the Treaty of Lisbon had already been ratified by 18 of the 27 EU member states.
Lisbon Treaty Finished
PRAGUE—Czech President Vaclav Klaus said on Friday that ratification of the European Union's Lisbon treaty could not continue after it was rejected by Irish voters.
The reform treaty has hit a potential stumbling block in the Czech Republic, where the upper house of parliament has asked the constitutional court to judge whether the charter is compatible with the country's constitution.
The Irish rejection is a huge setback to the treaty, which must be ratified by all 27 EU member states to come into force.
"The Lisbon treaty project ended today with the decision of the Irish voters and its ratification cannot be continued," Klaus, a eurosceptic long opposed to deeper European integration, said in a statement.
"The result is hopefully a clear message to everybody. It is a victory of freedom and reason over artificial elitist projects and European bureaucracy."
Klaus's position is mostly ceremonial but his duties include signing treaties ratified by parliament. The Czech Republic, which joined the EU in 2004, will hold the bloc's rotating presidency in the first half of next year.
Speaking to Reuters before Klaus's statement, Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Vondra said the court would continue its assessment of the treaty. A ruling is expected in the autumn.
"The process is continuing here, I expect the constitutional court will not put its consideration on ice but will make a resolution," Vondra said in a brief telephone interview.
Asked if ratification could proceed if cleared by the constitutional court, given the Irish rejection, Vondra said:
"Of course it can. But I think it does not make sense to make any conclusions now, we will see."
"We hope therefore that the other member states will continue this process of ratification."
Past Irish Votes on EU Agreements
Irish voters rejected the European Union's reform treaty on Friday, the latest of a series of EU referenda in a nation which, by law, must put any changes to its constitution to a national ballot.
Following is a chronology of Irish votes on Europe.
May 10, 1972—Ireland votes to join the European Community with 82 percent in favour and voter turnout of 71 percent. It becomes a member the following year with Britain and Denmark.
May 26, 1987—Just 44 percent of the Irish electorate votes in a poll to endorse the Single European Act, but the result is 70 percent in favour.
June 18, 1992—Ireland votes resoundingly in favour of the Maastricht treaty which paved the way for the creation of the European Union and the introduction of the euro currency. Turnout was 57 percent and support stood at 69 percent.
May 22, 1998—Ireland ratifies the Amsterdam Treaty on further European integration, signed in 1997. The turnout was around 56 percent and support stood at 60 percent.
June 7, 2001—Irish voters, in a stunning blow to the EU's eastward expansion plans, reject the Nice Treaty on EU reform. Around 53 percent voted against with 45 percent in favour and a relatively large number of spoilt votes. Turnout was low, at about 35 percent of the electorate of 2.9 million.
The treaty was rejected partly due to fears the accord would compromise Ireland's traditional military neutrality.
Oct. 19, 2002—Ireland votes "Yes" to the Nice treaty in a second referendum where turnout is 49 percent. Some 63 percent of voters back the pact while 37 percent vote against a treaty deemed essential for admitting 10 applicant countries, mostly from eastern Europe, to the EU in 2004. The government promised voters the treaty would protect Irish neutrality.
June 12, 2008—Ireland votes on the EU's reform treaty, intended to replace the defunct EU constitution and give the bloc stronger leadership and more democratic decision-making.
June 13, 2008—Official results show the Irish have voted "No" to the treaty with 53.4 percent against and 46.6 percent for. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso says the treaty is still alive and countries should press ahead with ratifying it.
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