DUBLIN, Ireland — Ireland’s citizens voted Thursday on whether to accept or reject the European Union’s new reform treaty, a painstakingly negotiated pact that would be damaged or destroyed by an Irish “no.”
The Lisbon Treaty seeks to reshape EU institutions and powers to cope with the bloc’s near-doubling in size over the past four years from 15 to 27 nations with 495 million people. It contains many of the same reform plans as the EU’s previous master plan: a constitution rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005.
This time, among EU nations, only Ireland’s 3 million registered voters present a serious threat to ratification. The other 26 members are requiring approval only through their national governments, and so far, 18 EU members have done so.
