By Andras Gergely
DUBLIN, June 6 (Reuters) - Declan Ganley, a leading opponent of the European Union's reform treaty, is in the running for a seat in the European Parliament, his party and local media said on Saturday, in a boost for anti-treaty campaigners.
If Ganley wins the third seat in Ireland's North West constituency, defying most opinion polls, he will take a leading role in an attempt to defeat the Lisbon Treaty in a second referendum later this year.
The treaty is meant to streamline decision-making and give the 27-member bloc a stronger voice on the world stage, partly by having a European Council president instead of the current rotating presidency. It needs member states' unanimous approval.
The government, which was taking a hammering in European, local and by-elections on Saturday, has vowed to get the charter passed in a second vote.
Opinion polls show a clear majority of Irish voters now support the treaty as they look to Europe as a shield in the financial crisis which has hit Ireland especially hard.
A spokesman for Ganley's Libertas party said he was expected to take one of the first three places in a three-seat constituency on the first count, but the result could still change because of Ireland's transferable vote system.
'We think he's doing very well,' the spokesman said. 'He's in very serious contention to win a seat.'
Public broadcaster RTE also said early tallies suggested Ganley could win a seat. Official counting is not due to start until Sunday, and results will be released only after 2000 GMT on Sunday when voting has ended in other European countries.
In Dublin, tallies suggested Mary Lou McDonald, MEP for the nationalist Sinn Fein party, Joe Higgins of the Socialist Party and Eoin Ryan, MEP for the governing Fianna Fail party would battle it out for a third EP seat.
McDonald and Higgins campaigned against the Lisbon Treaty so a win for either would give additional strength to a second 'No' campaign.
A loose coalition of groups, including Ganley's Libertas, Sinn Fein and anti-abortion groups, argued successfully against the treaty in an Irish referendum last year, delivering a major setback for the European Union.
Ireland is planning a second referendum on the charter in the autumn and Ganley had said he would take a back seat in any 'No' campaign if he failed to win a European Parliament seat.
Ireland held elections on Friday for European Parliament, local council and two Irish parliamentary seats, with exit polls and early results showing a heavy defeat for Prime Minister Brian Cowen's pro-treaty government.
(Editing by Carmel Crimmins and Tim Pearce) Keywords: IRELAND ELECTIONS/LISBON (andras.gergely@reuters.com; +35315001518; Reuters Messaging: andras.gergely.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
DUBLIN, June 6 (Reuters) - Declan Ganley, a leading opponent of the European Union's reform treaty, is in the running for a seat in the European Parliament, his party and local media said on Saturday, in a boost for anti-treaty campaigners.
If Ganley wins the third seat in Ireland's North West constituency, defying most opinion polls, he will take a leading role in an attempt to defeat the Lisbon Treaty in a second referendum later this year.
The treaty is meant to streamline decision-making and give the 27-member bloc a stronger voice on the world stage, partly by having a European Council president instead of the current rotating presidency. It needs member states' unanimous approval.
The government, which was taking a hammering in European, local and by-elections on Saturday, has vowed to get the charter passed in a second vote.
Opinion polls show a clear majority of Irish voters now support the treaty as they look to Europe as a shield in the financial crisis which has hit Ireland especially hard.
A spokesman for Ganley's Libertas party said he was expected to take one of the first three places in a three-seat constituency on the first count, but the result could still change because of Ireland's transferable vote system.
'We think he's doing very well,' the spokesman said. 'He's in very serious contention to win a seat.'
Public broadcaster RTE also said early tallies suggested Ganley could win a seat. Official counting is not due to start until Sunday, and results will be released only after 2000 GMT on Sunday when voting has ended in other European countries.
In Dublin, tallies suggested Mary Lou McDonald, MEP for the nationalist Sinn Fein party, Joe Higgins of the Socialist Party and Eoin Ryan, MEP for the governing Fianna Fail party would battle it out for a third EP seat.
McDonald and Higgins campaigned against the Lisbon Treaty so a win for either would give additional strength to a second 'No' campaign.
A loose coalition of groups, including Ganley's Libertas, Sinn Fein and anti-abortion groups, argued successfully against the treaty in an Irish referendum last year, delivering a major setback for the European Union.
Ireland is planning a second referendum on the charter in the autumn and Ganley had said he would take a back seat in any 'No' campaign if he failed to win a European Parliament seat.
Ireland held elections on Friday for European Parliament, local council and two Irish parliamentary seats, with exit polls and early results showing a heavy defeat for Prime Minister Brian Cowen's pro-treaty government.
(Editing by Carmel Crimmins and Tim Pearce) Keywords: IRELAND ELECTIONS/LISBON (andras.gergely@reuters.com; +35315001518; Reuters Messaging: andras.gergely.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.