Jubilation and despair after Irish vote.
The Netherlands
Dutch campaigners against the Lisbon Treaty were jubilant last night, calling the outcome "a victory for democracy" and saying the voice of the people had been heard at last.
Over 95 per cent of reactions on the website of the country's largest newspaper, de Telegraaf, applauded "Ireland's courage". "We had voted No once, so our politicians didn't dare to let us vote again because they knew what the outcome would be; a big 'thank you' to Irish voters," said one campaigner.
Dutch Socialist party MP Harri van Bommel said Ireland's No had left the Lisbon Treaty "as dead as a doornail". But a spokesman for the prime minister told The Irish Times: "The process of ratification goes on, the treaty will go before our Senate before the second week of July regardless." Prime minister Balkenende "regrets" the Irish outcome but he "respects" it, he said.
Isabel Conway, Amsterdam
Italy
The referendum result will prevent the EU from taking key decisions on issues such as security and energy, said Italy's foreign minister Franco Frattini.
"It is a serious blow to European construction, which for now does not allow the adoption of essential decisions on security, the management of immigration, energy politics or the protection of the environment," he said.
Italian President Giorgio Napolitano was more critical, calling for states obstructing integration to be left out of the EU. "Now is the time for a courageous choice by those who want coherent progress in building Europe, leaving out those who despite solemn, signed pledges threaten to block it," he said in a statement.
Reuters
Spain
The Spanish government expressed deep concern about the result, but said it remained optimistic that the process of ratification would continue.
Foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos told journalists that the result was a disappointment. "Of course we respect the wishes of the Irish people, but I am convinced that the European Union will find a solution as it has on other occasions in the past." Deputy prime minister Maria Teresa Fernández de la Vega said the government hoped Europe would continue with ratification. "We must wait until next week's EU summit to see what can be done to reinforce European unity," she said.
Spain remains one of the most enthusiastically pro-Europe of countries and no party wanted a No vote from Ireland.
Jane Walker, Madrid
Croatia
Croatia led criticism of Ireland in central and eastern Europe last night, amid fears that the result would make it harder for new members to join the bloc.
"I'm surprised by this result, as Ireland resolved all its problems by joining the EU," Croatian president Stipe Mesic said.
"Now that they have used the accession and structural funds, when they have developed enormously, I'm a little surprised that the solidarity is at an end." Mr Mesic also insisted, however, that his country's plan to join the EU by 2011 would not be derailed.
"The EU will find a possibility for enlargement to continue and no barrier will affect Croatia."
Dan McLaughlin, Budapest
Czech Republic
Vaclav Klaus, president of the Czech Republic and an outspoken Eurosceptic, declared the treaty dead and buried.
"The Lisbon Treaty project ended today with the decision of the Irish voters and its ratification cannot be continued," he said.
The Czech Republic has yet to ratify the treaty, and proponents hope prime minister Mirek Topolanek will push it through parliament before Prague takes on the EU's rotating presidency next January. "Refusal of the Lisbon Treaty would mean political complications, in spite of that the EU has a stable contractual basis which allows its further standard functioning."
Dan McLaughlin, Budapest
Poland
In Warsaw, prime minister Donald Tusk promised to do everything possible to find a solution at next week's council meeting.
"We respect the democratic will of Irish voters which they expressed after an intensive debate on the treaty," said Europe minister Mikolaj Dowgielewicz.
"The ratification of the treaty is the independent affair of each country. Therefore we have no right to tell the Irish how they act . . . we have to respect every nation in the EU to decide for themselves on such matters."
Derek Scally, Berlin
Denmark / Sweden
In Denmark, the parliament's committee on European affairs yesterday asked to see prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen for emergency discussions. They want to know how to proceed with the referendum planned for this autumn on getting rid of one or more of the Danish opt-outs. Denmark is now likely to postpone the referendum until there is clarity over the treaty.
Sweden, meanwhile, will ratify the treaty.
Swedish minister for European affairs Cecilia Malmström said: "We respect of course the view of the Irish people. Sweden will however stick to its plan for ratifying the Lisbon Treaty this autumn.
". . . now what we need to do is to hear from Ireland what they expect and need, and to mull over it for a bit.
Ole Byborg, Copenhagen and Ylva Elvis Nilsson, Stockholm