Ireland Votes 67% In Favor Of Lisbon Treaty -Final Count

Wall Street Journal (Link) - Quentin Fottrell (October 3, 2009)

Ireland voted 67% in favor of the Lisbon Treaty with just 33% voting against, according to the final count announced Saturday.

The big swing to a Yes vote was helped by a 6% rise in voter turnout to 59%.

But there was a big swing vote from No to Yes due to a series of EU protocols clarifying Irish neutrality and maintaining its antiabortion laws, safeguarded independence on taxation and the right to keep its own European commissioner, plus voter worries over Ireland's deepening recession.

The Lisbon Treaty was rejected by Irish voters in June 2008 by a 53.4% to 46.6% vote with a 53% turnout.

Ireland is unique among the European Union's 27 member nations in holding a public referendum on the treaty forged in Lisbon to replace the failed EU constitution.