Amendments to domestic law which would make the treaty more compatible with German law have received wide approval from the conservative CDU/CSU factions, the Socialist party (SPD), the federal party (FDP) and the Green party. As expected, the left-wing party (Die Linke) did not approve the package.
The new rules will afford the government greater "rights of participation in European lawmaking," according to the Constitutional Court.
The CSU had previously threatened to derail yesterday's vote as the ultra conservatives discussed another amendment which would tie the interpretation of the Lisbon Treaty to Germany's constitution.
As the party's stance on the issue fluctuated from conciliatory tones in August to opposition in September - the party's speaker on Europe told EurActiv.de that they would be seeking a second motion – they refused to reveal which way it would vote today.
The European Policy Centre's founding chairman, Stanley Crossick, said the Constitutional Court's judgement in Germany might "provoke parliaments in other member states to seek ways of controlling their governments when acting in the EU Council".
He refers in particular to the Danish model, whereby ministers meet ahead of Council meetings to secure a negotiating mandate from the Europe committee of the Folketing (parliament) on EU policy questions. "Were they all to choose the Danish model, the consequences for Council negotiations would be dramatic."
Die Linke's leader, Oskar Lafontaine, has said in no uncertain terms that the party is opposed to the Lisbon Treaty and will be joining the ranks of Europe's 'no' campaigners.
German Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier yesterday joined the co-leader of the Greens, Cem Özdemir, in lambasting both the CSU and Die Linke for their alignment against the Lisbon Treaty and for espousing a new "anti-Europe political movement".
German Chancellor Angela Merkel now has the unenviable task of relaying the message from her government to Europe that the amendments are binding and will change the way Germany conducted itself in the Council previously.
Merkel and Germany's standing in the European Union will be considerably weakened by these amendments, warned Angelica Schwall-Düren, deputy chairperson of the SPD.
