EU Divided in Wake of Ireland's 'No' Vote

Irish voters' rejection of a treaty to reform the EU has left the bloc in turmoil, the BBC reports. France, Germany, and Britain say EU countries should continue to ratify the Lisbon Treaty, while the Czech president declared it dead. Fourteen of the 27 EU countries have approved the agreement, which needs unanimous support to pass; Ireland was the the only one to hold a referendum.

The plan was designed to beef up the body's effectiveness after absorbing 12 new members since 2004. Aggravating the situation is the fact that time is short: The treaty was to go into effect in 2009. In a regular summit next week, EU leaders will decide how to move forward; one possibility is a second Irish vote after some tweaking of the treaty. (More Treaty of Lisbon stories.)