UPI hears... [Sunday's Irish referendum is in trouble]

UPI ^ | October 16, 2002 | UPI International Desk

[Stingray51]

Insider notes from United Press International for Oct. 16 ...

The odds are suddenly lengthening against the expected smooth progress toward enlarging the European Union by 10 member states at next week's special Brussels summit. First, Sunday's Irish referendum is in trouble, with the trade unions breaking ranks with the consensus among the main political parties and calling for a "No" vote --- which would certainly hold up the enlargement process. Worse still, Wednesday's collapse of the new Dutch government followed a bitter row among the right-of-center coalition parties, with senior Liberals and Christian Democrats claiming that Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia were far from ready to join the European Union. Optimists say the Dutch row is really about personal clashes in the populist party of the assassinated Pim Fortuyn (some of whom are demanding a Dutch veto of enlargement), which can be fixed with new elections in December. Pessimists say the Dutch are playing chicken with the French, with a last-ditch bid to force reform of the EU's infamous Common Agricultural Policy as a price of accepting enlargement. In that case, Europe is in for a grim summit.

[Stingray51]

Let's hope the Irish strike a blow against the EU globalists.

[Dan from Michigan]

Ping

[The Old Hoosier]

Go Irish!

[Happygal]

Thanks for the ping on this one.

Opinion polls on the referendum at the moment are indicating about 36% in favour, 22$ against but quite a sizeable majority still undecided about the matter.

Anyway, I'm predicting a low poll.

Should be interesting to see the outcome on Sunday.

[Stingray51]

ping