Anti-Lisbon advances in Ireland

Ireland’s ruling centre-left party Fianna Fail looks set to loose one seat in the elections for the European Parliament to the anti-Lisbon Treaty group.

Prime Minister Brian Cowen has already suffered a rout in local polls and a defeat in two parliamentary by-elections amid anger over the government’s handling of the economic crisis and an exit poll showed that 55% of voters want a general election this year. Opposition centre-right party Fine Gael won 30% of the vote, Fianna Fail won 23%. The socialist party came third with 16% of the vote, Sinn Fein won 12% and the independants 10%. Declan Ganley’s Libertas aprty (Eurosceptic) is a leading voice in the anti-Lisbon movement but only polled 4% of the vote. The Irish will vote on the Lisbon Treaty for the second time this autumn.

Copyright © 2010 euronews