Leadership Mr. Christofias. Θα έχετε ακουστά.

The following article,published days before the Irish referendum of 2008 is indicative of how the political leaders of Ireland tried to convince their voters to support the Lisbon Treaty. They failed,but they came out of the vote with their dignity intact and were able to push for passing the Treaty the next year,convincing voters that the necessary assurances had been made by the EU to allay Irish fears over loss of sovereignty and various other issues. Regardless whether they were “right”or “wrong”to do so,this is how political leaders pushes forward ideas and solutions that they believe are necessary but might put off the electorate. They try to convince their electorate and depending on several factors they then lose,or they win. They don’t whimper and beg for the need for a “national consensus”or complain about the unwillingness of those holding the opposing view to subscribe to theirs.

Leadership Mr. Christofias. I assume you are aware of the concept.

Vote will decide State’s future progress,says Cowen

“Irish Times”,June 9th 2008.

by Mark Hennssy

IRELAND’S FUTURE progress will be decided by the result of the LisbonTreaty referendum,Taoiseach Brian Cowen has said following aweekend of intensive campaigning.

During tours to Kerry,Limerick and Dublin,Mr Cowen,who will join Fine Gael leader Enda Kennyand Labour’s Eamon Gilmore today in a call for a Yes vote,repeatedly urgedpeople to back the Yes campaign. Asked if he was presenting Fianna Fáil supporters with a “back him or sack him”decision,Mr Cowen said:“Hopefully,[ it's] not a back me or sack memoment. I think it is a question of us backing the country. It is beyond partypolitics.”

Despite accusations from No campaigners that voters are being threatened,Mr Cowen declined to back away from warnings that a rejection would result in Ireland losing influence. In a phrase he used repeatedly yesterday during a 25-minute speech,the Taoiseach said a rejection of the treaty would take Ireland “down a new and more uncertain route”.

He told members of Ógra Fianna Fáil at a youth rally in Dublin that theirs was “the most blessed generation in Irish history”. He asked that people reflect on the fact that “the progress Ireland has made would not have been possible without us being positive members of the European Union”. He also said that for the generation that would shape Ireland in the decades ahead,there was “unlikely to be another vote as important as this one”.

The mood in the Yes camp has lightened following a Sunday Business Post poll which showed it slightly ahead –though some of that polling was carried out last Friday week. Fianna Fáil party strategists believe that voters will accept the treaty by amargin of up to 10 points in a near 60 per cent turnout. TDs have been appointed as directors of elections in each constituency and their performanceis being monitored by Fianna Fáil headquarters.

In a bid to encourage voters to come out,Mr Cowen said Thursday’s referendum would settle the European Union’s internal rules for “perhaps one,two,three decades ahead”. Meanwhile,the Government,in a move that will be seen as a signal to trade unions,will today back EU plans to improve the rights of agency workers,both Irish and foreign. Mr Cowen will join Mr Kenny and Mr Gilmore for a press conference today in a bid to reinforce themessage that all of the major parties back the Lisbon Treaty.

Questioned yesterday about polling figures that indicate that a majority of Labour supporters are against the treaty,the Labour leader insisted he would not backaway from calling for a Yes vote.

“Leadership is about leading from the front. We believe that this treaty is good for Ireland,good for working people. It isn’t the first time that we have found ourselves in a referendum campaign where some of our own support base are reluctant about what we are saying.

“But there are times when you have to give people honest leadership. Honesty in politics is not just about keeping your hand out of the till. It is also telling the truth. And we are telling the truth,”said Mr Gilmore.

Islanders on Arranmore and Tory,off the Donegal coast,will be the first to cast their votes in the referendum today. People living off the Mayo and Galway coastswill vote on Wednesday,while those on the Cork islands will vote with the restof the State on June 12th.

Libertas founder Declan Ganley dismissed the view that Yes support has strengthened since Friday’s  Irish Times/TNS mrbi poll,which showed the No camp in the lead. “There has been no perceptible shift in the public mood over the past few days,”he said.

*image from:http://www.savagechickens.com/