1. Wieder ein Sieg der Angst? Das zweite irische Referendum über den Lissabon-Vertrag in der Analyse.
- Author
-
Schünemann, Wolf J.
- Subjects
RATIFICATION of treaties ,POLITICAL campaigns ,REFERENDUM ,PLEBISCITE ,POPULAR vote ,PUBLIC opinion ,TREATIES ,INTERNATIONAL alliances - Abstract
The second Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty on the 2nd of October 2009 was won with an over two thirds majority. Thus, it revised the negative vote one year before. This article examines the debate in the run-up to the polls. Thereby, it follows a discourse-analytical approach which is seldom used in political science and may be seen as complementary to the established methods of election studies. Leaning on Radical Constructivist assumptions, the referendum is regarded less as an electoral act than as an election campaign. The speakers engaged and the essential arguments articulated in the campaign are analysed to test the hypothesis that the economic situation in Ireland can be seen as the main factor to explain the swing of opinion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2010