Ireland-only vote shows EU’s democratic deficit

MANY of the arguments against the Lisbon treaty are based on the EU being undemocratic and concerns that the treaty would increase this democratic deficit.

While the yes campaigners insist the opposite is the case, three examples will make clear the EU’s lack of interest in democracy.

1. All but one of the 27 EU countries are being denied the right to vote on the treaty by their governments at the urging of the European Commission, which says “we know better”.