Sarkozy: ‘Irish will vote again, there will be no EU Treaty Mk III'

[Marcus Marulus]

Sarkozy: ‘Irish will vote again, there will be no EU Treaty Mk III'

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Bruno Waterfield in Brussels

Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France, held a strictly off-the-record lunch briefing for international Brussels-based correspondents on Tuesday at the Elysée.

The Daily Telegraph was not invited, in fact deliberately excluded. Officials at the French Foreign Ministry have disapproved of questions put to the President by the Telegraph during a recent Brussels summit.

But despite the best efforts of the Quai d'Orsay's diplomats, I am able to reveal on-the-record, as a blog exclusive, Mr Sarkozy's more relevant comments.

The French strategy during their six month EU Presidency, which began on July 1, is to isolate Ireland after last month's referendum rejection of the Lisbon European Union Treaty.

With the Irish people in quarantine, the other 26 EU countries will press ahead with ratifying the Treaty - 19 have done so. Mr Sarkozy made it very clear that there would be no renegotiation of a Treaty that was Part II of the EU Constitution rejected by French and Dutch voters three years ago.

"There will be no Treaty Part III," he said.

The Irish do not count.

France, along with the rest of the EU is looking for "escape hatch". "We need a soft landing in October," said Mr Sarkozy, when there will be EU summit in Brussels to find way forward by the time of European elections on June 4.

The Irish either will be asked to vote again, in a rerun of Ireland's second referendum on the Nice Treaty in 2002 - or Ireland's people will be bypassed.

"If the perspective of a second vote in Ireland has been raised it is because it has happened before," said Mr Sarkozy.

"We need some kind of vote to get out of the situation - Parliament or referendum I don't know. But when democratic society says ‘no', you need some kind of democratic solution."

Any means necessary to get an Irish Yes, is what the French President is getting at here. There is no other answer.

But the Poles and Czechs are flies in Mr Sarkozy's ointment, with both uppity new East European countries threatening to delay or block a Treaty that requires all 27 EU member states to ratify it before it enters into force.

Mr Sarkozy made it clear he was deeply unimpressed with Polish President Lech Kaczynski's refusal to sign off a "pointless" Treaty after it had been ratified in his country's parliament.

"The Polish President has never been an easy partner to work with on building and shaping a stronger Europe," he said. "I can't imagine how the President can go against the will of the parliament. It's odd."

Mr Sarkozy warned the new member states that France would block any further EU enlargement unless Warsaw and Prague knuckle under and do what they are told.

"I will fight to ensure that EU membership does not exceed 27," he said.

The French President warned the Czechs that they would pay a price if Prague continues to grumble about ratifying the Treaty.

"Our Czech friends will have the EU Presidency on Jan 1 it is very difficult to see them blocking a solution," he said. "If the Czechs dig in their heels they will start their presidency in great isolation."

The gloves are off.

[source]

[orieleye]

That guy is brainless. The more he talks the weaker he sounds.

[Lutiferre]

He should have said, "But when democratic society says ‘no', you need some kind of undemocratic solution."

[Aptrgangr]

Originally Posted by Lutiferre

He should have said, "But when democratic society says ‘no', you need some kind of undemocratic solution."

Actually they say the Irish "No" was undemocratic, because Irish voters voted with their stomachs and not with their brains (those having voted with "Yes" used their brains, of course). This is the pure arrogance of power we see here; I can't decide whether this type of governing is absolutism or feudalism, I say it's feudalism with an absolutistic entitlement.

[Kalevi]

Originally Posted by Aptrgangr

Actually they say the Irish "No" was undemocratic, because Irish voters voted with their stomachs and not with their brains (those having voted with "Yes" used their brains, of course). This is the pure arrogance of power we see here; I can't decide whether this type of governing is absolutism or feudalism, I say it's feudalism with an absolutistic entitlement.

And just like after all referendums, the media is again over-analyzing the result into oblivion: people didn't know what they were voting about, people voted generally against something (EU), inner/outer/agricultural/immigration politics affected the vote, the winner's marketing was blatantly populist, bla bla bla... How about if a considerable group of people really voted against turning Europe into a federal state, could it really be possible?

And Sarkozy is literally sawing his own branch: if the Irish votes are void, then why should his own votes in the last French presidential elections be of any more value?

[Marcus Marulus]

Originally Posted by Kalevi

And just like after all referendums, the media is again over-analyzing the result into oblivion: people didn't know what they were voting about, people voted generally against something (EU), inner/outer/agricultural/immigration politics affected the vote, the winner's marketing was blatantly populist, bla bla bla...

Let me guess more of the comments: People's vote was conditioned more by internal political struggles than by the opposition to the very Treaty; there was convergence between extreme Left and extreme Right; emotions, passion and resentment gained the upper hand over the rational thinking; frustrations of the disaffected strata of the population; blah blah blah, mountains of crap...

Originally Posted by Kalevi

How about if a considerable group of people really voted against turning Europe into a federal state, could it really be possible?

They must be some narrow minded localists.

[orieleye]

Originally Posted by Kalevi

And Sarkozy is literally sawing his own branch: if the Irish votes are void, then why should his own votes in the last French presidential elections be of any more value?

He doesn't seem to understand the implications of what he's saying. All the Brussels jargon and values, so detached from reality, lead him to say 'let them eat cake'. His performance is tactless and amateurish.

[Routasydän]

Originally Posted by orieleye

He doesn't seem to understand the implications of what he's saying. All the Brussels jargon and values, so detached from reality, lead him to say 'let them eat cake'. His performance is tactless and amateurish.

I think the comparison of Marie Antoinette and the current European political class is a very potent one. Has the propaganda ministry been notified?

[Carnyx]

She never said that, btw. It is attributed to her.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau / Les confessions (Livre VI)

Enfin je me rappelai le pis-aller d'une grande princesse à qui l'on disait que les paysans n'avaient pas de pain, et qui répondit: Qu'ils mangent de la brioche.

ATHENA; Jean-Jacques ROUSSEAU: Les Confessions; Pierre Perroud