Last week's summit of direct democracy experts in Salzburg, sponsored by the Initiative and Referendum Institute Europe and an Austrian law institute, produced a series of recommendations for the European Union on how to implement the first transnational ballot initiative in the world. The initiative power is part of the Lisbon Treaty, a European constitutional reform that is likely to be adopted later this year. (The Irish have been holding it up).

This European initiative is not a full citizen's initiative, which produces a binding popular vote on substantial. It's what Americans might call an "indirect initiative" -- it only forces the EU parliament to consider proposals.

There were two iitems of interest in this "Salzburg Manifesto" to anyone who follows direct democracy: 

-Access. The summit manifesto calls for reducing the number of countries that must sign onto an initiative for it to move forward. It also suggests providing more time for collecting signatures, which would make the process more open and less costly.

-Digital signatures. The manifesto argues for permitting signature gathering over the Internet, and urges the EU to set up systems to do this. If such a signature gathering model emerges in Europe, it might be adapted here in the U.S. States prohibit such electronic signature gathering, but the idea is attractive because it could reduce the expense of qualifying measures for the ballot.

For those interested in learning more, the full Salzburg Manifesto is attached to this post.

IRAQI REFERENDUM: The 2009 referendum most important to Americans may take place in Iraq.   Sunni parties won a commitment for a public referendum by July 30, 2009 on the new security agreement between the U.S. and the Baghdad government. That agreement calls for full American withdrawal by the end of 2011. A vote by the Iraqi people to reject the agreement could lead to an even earlier withdrawal by the U.S.

POLL: UKRAINIANS WANT VOTE ON NATO MEMBERSHIP: Some 80 percent support a vote on whether to join NATO. The poll is less clear on what Ukrainians would do if they had such a vote.

 GREENLAND INDEPENDENCE: The world's biggest island votes for more independence from Denmark.

BULLYING THE IRISH: It looks like the Irish, who turned down the European Union's Lisbon Treaty, are going to be forced to vote again.

The Irish opposed the ratification of the new Lisbon Treaty for the European Union this spring. Now the government, under heavy European pressure, is considering a second referendum for next year. Why would Ireland, the only country to permit its citizens to vote directly on the treaty, change its mind? The carrot seems to be a promise that Ireland would always retain a commissioner on a major EU body. Now, countries temporarily lose their commissioner as membership rotates.

French president, and new EU president, Nicolas Sarkozy has announced a timetable for moving forward with the Lisbon Treaty, a new reform plan for the European Union that Ireland -- the only country to permit its citizens to vote on ratification -- rejected last month. There weren't many details, but from what Sarko said last week, he won't change the treaty and seems to be counting on bullying the Irish into changing their minds. Sarko is traveling to Ireland next week to begin the arm-twisting. Memo to the people of Ireland: French diplomacy is on the way. Brace yourselves. 

On a related note, the Irish Times has an interesting piece raising the question of whether a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty was really necessary under Ireland's constitutional. The notion that such a vote was a constitutional requirement has been reported over and over -- including on this blog -- as fact. But the argument of this new piece is that the treaty doesn't have an impact on Irish sovereignty and thus didn't need to be submitted to the people.

Democracy Arsenal (07/08) cites Parag Khanna on the rise of the E.U.
The Las Vegas Sun (07/07) quotes Sherle Scwhenninger on the dire state of the housing market.
New York Times (07/07) features Michael Cohen discussing Obama's stance on patriotism.
Washington Post (07/06) quotes Peter Bergen on Al Qaeda's continuing decline.
Sify (07/02) features Jeffrey Lewis analyzing India's nuclear strategy.

If an Irish butterfly flaps its wings, does it start a storm in Austria? Apparently so. Direct democracy is so powerful that a vote in one country can topple governments in others. Austria's coalition government collapsed today, a victim -- at least in part -- of last month's Irish "no" vote on a referendum over the Lisbon Treaty, a back-door new constitution for the European Union.

What's the link? After Ireland, the only one of the 27 EU countries to permit a public referendum on the treaty, voted it down, Austrian Prime Minister Alfred Gusenbauer said that future EU treaties should be subject to referenda there in Austria. The right of center Austrian People's Party, which was part of the Social Democrat Gusenbauer's governing coalition, opposes such referenda and decided -- for this and other reasons -- to leave the government.

While Europe watches nervously. Here's an informative Q&A from the Guardian explaining the details.

Today is the day of the Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, the backdoor new constitution -- though it can't be called a new constitution because that would require too many other public votes -- being adopted by the EU. There are 27 countries that signed the treaty. But only in Ireland do the people get to vote on it. So the Irish have outsized power today -- they are the voice of the people of Europe. If they vote the treaty down, they can scuttle the whole thing.

The political leadership of the country supports the treaty. But nationalists think it infringes on sovereignty. And Irish farmers, one of the few industries that the EU hasn't benefited, are leading the charge against it. Polls suggest the treaty is in trouble--the final results are likely to be close.

A referendum on ratifying the Lisbon Treaty had been leading handily, but support is collapsing in the final days before the June 12 vote. The Irish vote is critical to the future of Europe. ireland is the only one of the 27 signatories to the treaty, which establishes new rules to govern the EU, permitting its citizens to vote directly. If Ireland votes it down, the entire treaty likely would be a dead letter.

The issue of how and when to admit new members to the European Union is stirring more controversy. France and its president have objected to Turkey, arguing that the country does not belong culturally or economically in Europe. This week, the French national assembly voted in favor of a resolution calling for a popular referendum on any new members to the EU.

The New Republic (05/28) features Peter Bergen analyzing the jihadist revolt against Osama Bin Laden.
Afrik.com (05/27) cites Steve Clemons on purges occurring in the Obama and McCain campaigns.
NewsHour (05/27) interviews Flynt Leveret on U.S. engagement with Iran.
Tehran Times (05/25) mentions Steve Clemons on negotiations with Hamas.
The Globalist (05/23) features Parag Khanna discussing the growing international influence of the E.U.