So Ireland has done what no other population in Europe had a chance to, and turned down the Lisbon Treaty. The No vote ended up with 53.3% to the Yes side's 46.6%. Two of my friends and I - probably the most politically minded of our group - got sorted in time to vote. I think LO was a little bit let down by the whole experience, she's been building it up in her mind for years (you have, L, I know you have); I think LM didn't really mind one way or the other because she got her vote in. She went down seperately to her parents. Mine, however, accompanied me down to vote themselves. They were more fussed than I was; my mam was ridiculously sentimental about it, wanted to take a picture of me putting the ballot in the box and everything. I refused, of course, what's the big deal? ... It did feel kind of cool to go in and vote, though. I'm glad that I had something to vote on in my first year - and not just any general election either, but an issue that would affect the whole of Europe.
Although, with every other government going ahead with ratification processes, it doesn't seem to be a very democratically minded Treaty. Of course, the fact that we were the only European country where the people got to decide themselves (we had to, thank God for Irish Constitutional Law) doesn't say much for the democratic nature of the Lisbon Treaty in the first place. I wonder just how many people across Europe would have voted No if they'd been given the choice? I know we elect our governments to speak for us, but when the issue is so big it demands a change in the fabric of the law, there is no WAY that a government decision should automatically put into place. That does not in any way reflect the will of the people.
I can't wait to see what this will do to Irish politics, though. There's chaos in Dáil Éireann, with Fine Gael blaming Fianna Fáil and FF trying to pass the buck onto another party. Brian Cowen has failed his first political trial as Taoiseach rather miserably, I feel. And with Sinn Féin being the party to back the winning vote, their stock would rise quite dramatically in politics. Gerry Adams is already declaring victory in a "David and Goliath" style referendum (and I think that's a direct quote), and the reflection of SF as being on the side of the people is going to shake the hierarchy of the Oireachtas violently. Here's praying that we're a bit more civilised than a Second Irish Civil War, huh?
In other news, my Physics exam (described quite vehemently be someone on boards.ie in an LBJesque "that bitch of an exam") is tomorrow. Oh dear Lord, somebody save me now. I've done about 16 hourse of Physics this weekend, and I guarantee you that I will go into the GPR tomorrow (where the exams are being held) and forget absolutely everything. Oh well, at least I don't need it to pass the LC! Though it would not be fun to have an E stamped right across the Certificate in August. Maybe I should drop down??
Only two more exams until freedom!!
