Constitution (2004)

REFERENDUMS HELD ON EUROPEAN MATTERS: none

CONSTITUTIONAL CONDITIONS - Constitution of Cyprus

Binding referendum requires implementation by constitutional amendment. Consultative referendum can anyhow be held if ordered by ad-hoc-law.

ARTICLES ABOUT INTERNATIONAL TREATIES, REFERENDUM AND CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

Regulation about a special transference of power to EU:
none

Approval of transfer of sovereignty without effect of constitutional amendment:
Majority of votes from parliament, Art. 169 II ConstCyprus. President and council of ministers can veto the decision of parliament, Art. 50 I a ConstCyprus. International treaties relating to commercial matters, economic co-operation has to be approved by the council of ministers, Art. 169 I ConstCyprus.

Approval of transfer of sovereignty with effect of constitutional amendment:
Not expressly regulated, but constitutional amendment required.

Approval of constitutional amendment:
Majority of 2/3 from members of parliament, Art. 182 III, II ConstCyprus. Basic articles of constitution cannot be amended, Art. 182 I ConstCyprus.

Other constitutional regulations about referendums:
none

RATING AND DEBATE

Cyprus on 03.07.2008 ratified the Lisbon Treaty, a total of 31 MPs out of the 49 present in the 56-seat parliament in Nicosia voted for the treaty while the 17 communist members present voted against and there was one abstention.
The vote capped six hours of tense debate. The eurosceptic communist party of President Demetris Christofias Christofias's (AKEL) had already voted to oppose the treaty in a June 23 ballot, but the president had insisted that his government would back the treaty despite his own party's stance.
AKEL is the senior partner in a government coalition and joint largest party in parliament with 18 seats, the same number as right-wing opposition party DISY. But DISY had pledged to back ratification, as had AKEL's coalition partners the centre-right DIKO with 11 seats and socialist EDEK with five, thus ensuring the treaty's safe passage. During the debate, AKEL MP and union federation chief Pambos Kyritsis complained that the treaty had little to do with the European Union's ordinary citizens. "As a point of order, moral principle and democracy we cannot close our eyes and ratify this treaty far away from the voice of the people," he said."We expected much more from this treaty; we expected it to protect the weak, not to strengthen the few."
DISY MPs argued that Cyprus should back the treaty since it had been one of the beneficiaries of the bloc's eastward expansion, although party vice president Averoff Neophytou acknowledged it contained weaknesses. "Staying faithful to our long history and belief in Europe we will vote in favour of the Lisbon Treaty despite its shortcomings," he said in the debate. (EUbusiness.com)

PROCEDURE

Parliamentary vote

STATE OF THE PROCEDURE

The parliamentary ratification was held on the 03.07.2008, 31 deputies voted in favour of the Lisbon treaty and 175 against, out of the 49 present in the 56-seat parliament.

RELEVANT DOCUMENTS AND MATERIAL