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THE BATTLE lines are drawn. Over the last couple of weeks partisans of Yes or No to the Lisbon Treaty have formally launched their campaigns or declared their intentions ahead of the referendum on October 2nd. In the No camp there are many familiar faces: the Campaign Against the EU Constitution has transmogrified into Vote No to Lisbon, and then there’s the Peace and Neutrality Alliance, the National Platform, the People’s Movement, People before Profit, Voteno.ie and Cóir. Notable by its absence is Libertas whose lavish spending on advertising will be missed. And Joe Higgins will be the lone MEP on the No side, with his Socialist Party and Sinn Féin its main political party voices.
Out of the stalls earlier this time on the Yes side, representing civic society are, so far, Women for Europe, We Belong, Ireland for Europe, Lawyers for Europe, and Business for Europe, while some trade unions and the Irish Farmers’ Association have declared firmly for the treaty. A significant addition to their cause will be the Green Party, backing a European treaty for the first time. Labour will run its referendum campaign like a “ground war” rather than the “air war” last year’s campaign turned into, leader Eamon Gilmore has promised.
