Jan’12 SBP poll – 72% want referendum
2012.01.30Government parties will need to think very carefully how they manage the introduction of a new European Treaty to Ireland, based on the results of today’s Sunday Business Post/ RED C poll; which suggests it could be difficult to win, among an electorate already slightly disenfranchised from the government parties.
With their support under pressure, the last thing the Government needs is a European Referendum to push through. Particularly when voter attitudes towards that referendum in today’s poll are taken into account, as they suggest it may be quite hard to get it passed. Firstly, the great majority of voters (72%) believe that the government should hold a referendum on the new Treaty. This makes it far more difficult for the government to push through without one.
At the same time, current vote intentions on a possible European Treaty referendum, albeit before arguments have been made, suggest winning the referendum could be a struggle. Only just over half of all those who expressed a preference (52.6%) say they would support the referendum. Historically this is a very low start point to push any referendum through, as it is far easier to fight on the reason not to do something and keep the status quo, than fight for change.
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