République tchèque : nouvelle incertitude sur la ratification du traité[en]

Publié: lundi 14 juillet 2008

Désormais, l’aversion envers le nouveau traité de l’UE semble également gagner les citoyens tchèques, comme le révèle un sondage du 11 juillet. Il semble que la majorité de la population soit opposée au texte qui est actuellement examiné par la Cour constitutionnelle du pays. Il s’agit d’une tentative des eurosceptiques destinée à mettre en doute sa conformité à la Constitution.

According to the survey, 53% of Czechs now oppose the treaty, with 47% in favour. This marks a turnaorund compared to an April survey, which showed 53% supported the text.

The new findings deliver a fresh blow to treaty supporters' hopes after eurosceptics sent the text to the court.

While the government sent a positive assessment to court last week, saying the treaty was indeed in line with the country's constitution (EurActiv 30/06/08), the court is not obliged to follow the government's assessment in its ruling. The decision is expected in September or October, ahead of the next EU summit during which leaders want to decide how to proceed with the Lisbon Treaty following its rejection by the Irish (EurActiv 13/06/08).

Despite pressure from other EU leaders to ratify the text before then, the Czech government has said it would not pass on the text to Parliament before the court ruling (EurActic 20/06/08).

But even if the court does declare the new treaty constitutional, parliamentary ratification is far from certain. While the lower chamber is expected to approve the text, the outcome in the Senate cannot be predicted due to a strong eurosceptic faction within the ruling Civic Democratic Party of Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, which has a majority there.

As in the Irish case, proper communication of the benefits of the new treaty by the Czech government has been weak. In the latest poll, only 23 percent of the Czechs said they knew what changes it would bring, while 34% admitted they had absolutely no clue what the text was about.

Apart from the Czech Republic, the ratification process is also on hold in Germany, where a court decision on the treaty's constitutionality is pending, and in Poland, where President Lech Kacyznski refused to sign the treaty following the Irish 'no' (EurActiv 01/07/08).

The treaty has to be ratified by all 27 EU member states to enter into force. Belgium was the most recent country to approve the text last week, increasing the number of countries having done so to 22.