Czech senate vote puts Lisbon treaty onus on Ireland

THE Czech senate voted in favour of the Lisbon treaty yesterday, leaving the fate of the document to reform the EU institutions largely in Ireland’s hands.

The senators voted 54 to 20, giving a clear margin over the 48 votes needed to pass the treaty, thanks to 12 members of the Euro-sceptic government party, the ODS supporting it, four abstaining and two who did not attend.

However, several politicians warned nobody should consider it a foregone conclusion the treaty would be brought into force, even with polls suggesting Irish voters would accept it in October.