The Last of the Eurosceptics

In the wake of Ireland’s decision to ratify the Lisbon Treaty -- an international agreement that will attempt to centralize the governance of the European Union – all eyes are Czech President Vaclav Klaus to see if he’s got what it takes to almost singlehandedly stop the progression of the EU. At this point it seems unlikely that he will. But it leads us to wonder whether or not one man should have such an influence over one of the biggest political alliances in the world.

Klaus stands with a swiftly declining number of Eurosceptics in his corner. Ireland, the landmark opposition to the Lisbon Treaty, has given it the go-ahead and Poland is expected to follow suit. Even Czech Prime Minister and the Czech parliament are rallying for the treaty to be passed through and put into effect. The Czech Republic, a relatively small and new addition to the European Union, is not even among the Eurobarometer’s list of biggest Europsceptics – these countries include Sweden, Finland, and Denmark, all of whom have already ratified the treaty.

Still, Klaus, who fears the bureaucracy that could result from a union with streamlined powers and a single currency, is plastered across media outlets as the number one stumbling block for European solidarity. His stance is of the utmost importance because the Lisbon Treaty requires the ratification of all 27-member states before it can be implemented.

If anything, the Czech Republic’s pugnacious president is a prime example of exactly what the Lisbon Treaty is aiming to cure, for better or for worse. It will look to replace many decisions requiring unanimous votes with ones needing only majority support, squashing the logistical hassle of having to reckon with individuals like Klaus.