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Tue 09 Sep 2009Democratic gains of new treaty got lost last time
THE ROAD TO LISBON II:In the second part of our series, European Correspondent JAMIE SMYTHexplains how the treaty creates a more democratic voting system and enhances the role of MEPs as well as those of national parliaments
IN THE final days of the Irish presidency of the EU in 2004, Austrian chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel came to see taoiseach Bertie Ahern with a request. Austria, Finland and many of the new states that had just joined the union had argued passionately for months that they all should be allowed to retain their commissioners under a new EU constitution.
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