Certain ideas of Europe
Journalists for a cover-up
Keeping voters in the dark
by Charlemagne
AN ODD gap has opened up between mainstream political opinion in Britain and the consensus in Brussels, when it comes to the chances of all 27 EU nations ratifying the Lisbon Treaty. In Britain, the centre of gravity revolves around a sullen sense that the treaty is going to be ratified in parliament without a national referendum (even though it is clearly a reworking of the failed constitution on which the government promised a referendum). In endless conversations with diplomats and politicians from Britain, this reporter has not met one person who thinks Gordon Brown will give in to calls to grant a referendum: for the simple reason that he would lose one. Even the Eurosceptic blogosphere is more or less resigned to this, and is now engaged in desultory navel-gazing about whether a future Conservative government might or might not offer a binding referendum on the treaty, even after it had already been ratified.
And yet, in Brussels, there is real nervousness about getting the treaty through, with much of that nervousness centred on Britain. This has spawned an unattractive sub-genre in editorial articles, urging pro-integrationists to pay lip-service to the lie that this new treaty is completely different from the constitution, and basically keep quiet on that front until it is safely ratified.
Here is Maroun Labaki, in the centre-left Belgian newspaper, Le Soir:
Angela Merkel, he writes, pulled of a very skilled bit of politics: "she managed to get acceptance for a text which was barely watered down in comparison with the Constitutional project, but which could nonetheless be presented as a victory by advocates of a minimalist Europe. The result: no referendums in sight—except for in Ireland where they are obligatory—no debates, no democratic outpourings, no waves, no risks! Must the most unyielding democrats or devoted fans of transparency consent to this regime of silence, and agree to pretend they do not know what is really up?"
Mr Labaki answers his own question.
"A single national "No" would condemn the new treaty to the dustbin. That is something to think about long and carefully... Let's cross our fingers. This treaty must be ratified by everyone as quickly as possible. After it enters into force, allowing the Union to become more efficient, there will still be time for debate. To debate the future. The next steps. The United States of Europe."
Here is Lluís Bassets in Spain's most important newspaper, El País, in an op-ed headlined: "Europe on the wane". The treaty's troubles are not over, he writes, saying Britain is the place where things could go wrong. His conclusion is simple: all sorts of exciting things are in store for Europe (he is particularly keen for the biggest possible figure to land the new job of foreign policy chief), but they are not secure yet. His conclusion:
"Discretion will be crucial in this period. The next few steps need to be taken in stockinged feet, like children playing a new year's game. Though [Europe] looks like it is shrinking, it will be the moment for it to grow. Silently."
Some may be disturbed by the sight of professional journalists talking like politicians, and urging complicity in a cover-up. But Brussels is full of people like this. They know they are in the right, because they believe all those offended by the cover-up must be nationalists, and no sin is greater than nationalism.
In Britain, on the other hand, the spectacle of a blatant lie being repeated and repeated is souring and smothering rational debate on the rest of the EU question. Sigh.
Imagine, for a moment, you are a British free market liberal who supports EU membership and you have no truck with nationalism, but you think the way this treaty has been handled is a depressing piece of cynicism, not to mention a distraction from serious policy arguments that need to be had in Brussels. It is a pretty lonely time, just now.
More from Certain ideas of Europe
A farewell post
Is class back?
Special offer: one-way ticket from Guantanamo to Europe
Ireland braces for a Lisbon do-over
Spare a thought for Edison
Our Europe blog is closing
Posh v plodding with the masses
Offering a port in a storm
Charges of conspiracy over a rerun
Is the incandescent bulb worth saving?