Lisbon ratification still on ice

Czech ratification of the Lisbon Treaty has essentially been on ice for eight months as the Constitutional Court weighed in on whether such an agreement was in any way at odds with the nation’s constitution. The court eventually found that it was not – but far from marking the beginning of smooth sailing towards the treaty’s ratification, fresh squabbles and delays are threatening to cast a shadow over the Czech EU presidency.

Photo: CTK

Czech ratification of the Lisbon Treaty and the Czech presidency of the EU are at best uneasy bedfellows. While the two are not contingent on each other, the Czech government headed by Mirek Topolánek would certainly like the country to pass the treaty during its tenure, and is devoting considerable political capital to that intent. Along with Ireland, the Czech Republic stands alone in the EU in not having ratified the document that proponents argue will help to both integrate Europe and streamline decision-making. Almost exactly a year on from the Czech prime minister and foreign minister signing the Lisbon Treaty – beginning the long process of final approval, the Czech Republic remains the only country in the EU to have not held a parliamentary vote on the document. Why? Because there is a genuine fear that the treaty would not gain the support of the majority of MPs in Parliament. With the Communists opposed and a number of Civic Democrats also against the treaty, approval hangs in the balance.

Political commentator Erik Best believes that the decision to delay the vote till February at the latest is a highly tactical one:

Mirek Topolánek, photo: CTK

“Even Prime Minister Topolánek said that he would personally vote against the Lisbon Treaty if it were put on the agenda and a vote were taken this week. So it was pretty clear that the objective was to delay the vote for a while. It was also interesting because the Social Democrats willingly accepted this delay of a couple of months – this shows that although they have been beating their chests a bit over this subject, their demands have not been as cast in stone as they have been trying to make us believe.”

After waiting for the Constitutional Court to declare that the document is not at odds with the country’s constitution, on Tuesday, a parliamentary discussion on Lisbon was finally started – and then abruptly halted. The events occurred on a tumultuous day, which began with a series of meetings. The governing Civic Democrats met with both the opposition Social Democrats, as well as with the minority coalition parties. Soon, word was out that the Czech prime minister believed that the process should not be rushed – essentially letting it be known that a parliamentary vote should not take place. Then, the matter finally reached the floor of the lower house, where after a mere fifteen minutes, members voted to adjourn discussion of the treaty until February – after the Czech Republic assumes the EU presidency.

There has also been much talk of horse-trading. The Civic Democrat leader, fearful of Eurosceptic rebels within party ranks is said to be offering a deal to Social Democrats – you support the radar, we will support Lisbon. I asked Erik Best to explain the context for such moves:

“The Civic Democrats had initially said: first the radar and then the treaty, and now it is the other way round. The question remains as to whether the Lisbon treaty will even pass in February, but if it does pass, I still think that it will be difficult to guarantee that the Social Democrats would vote for the radar. I think that this is partly a realization that the radar could face a bit of delay because of the financial situation in the United States, and at the same time, the coalition government was under great pressure to come up with a Lisbon strategy before it takes over the EU presidency.”

And this move arguably gives it that strategy and sends an apparently reassuring signal to Europe that movement is continuing towards the Czech ratification of Lisbon.