no to Lisbon Treaty (AP photo)

LONDON: The European Union was plunged into crisis on Friday after its controversial constitutional document, known as the Lisbon reforms treaty, was rejected by Ireland in a tense referendum. Finally, 53.4 per cent of the voters rejected the Treaty.
The “no” vote means that the Treaty, aimed at streamlining the functioning of the expanded E.U., will go back to the drawing board as under the rules it must be ratified by all the 27 member-states or it is deemed dead.

So far, most of the countries have ratified it and Britain is in the process of doing it, but with Ireland — the only country to have a referendum because of its own unique constitutional requirements — saying “no” it is thought to be doomed.

E.U. officials admitted that they had no “Plan B” to deal with the crisis.

Eurosceptics fear threat to Ireland’s independence