EU Treaty Rejected
Friday 13 June 08
Irish Justice Minister Dermot Ahern says substantial vote tallies across the country show the European Union Lisbon reform treaty has been rejected.
Tallies are not official, but Mr Ahern says it is clear the No vote is ahead in a vast majority of constituencies.
This would scupper the treaty, which must be ratified by all members. Only Ireland has held a public vote on it. Mr Ahern is the first senior figure from the Irish government to admit that it looked like the treaty had failed.
European leaders have said that they have no "plan B" for how to proceed if Ireland's electorate does vote No. "If the Irish people decide to reject the treaty of Lisbon, naturally, there will be no treaty of Lisbon," French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said on Thursday night.
