Dublin sought ‘explicit’ God reference

The Dublin EU presidency sought a name-check for Christianity in Europe’s constitution but failed to win agreement, Ireland’s leader has revealed.

Wrapping up a six-month term at the helm of the EU, ‘Taoiseach’ Bertie Ahern told MEPs that Catholic Ireland had backed calls for God to be mentioned in a constitution declaration of Europe’s values.

Seven national governments pushed hard for a direct mention for a Christian God during constitution talks chaired by Ahern – and Italy, Poland, Lithuania, Malta, Portugal, Czech Republic and Slovakia had a sympathetic ear with Ireland.

“I think we would have preferred, quite frankly, to see an explicit reference to its Christian heritage but it was not simple to achieve consensus on wording,” the Irish prime minister told the European Parliament.

A preamble to the EU constitution draws “inspiration from the cultural, religious and humanist inheritance of Europe”.

But the vague reference to a religious heritage was not enough for many on Europe’s powerful Christian Democrat right or countries with a strong Catholic tradition.

Critics of a more specific EU endorsement of Christian values pointed to over 200-years of the European ‘enlightenment’, changing demographics and plans for Islamic Turkey to join Europe’s club.

Reassuring right-wing and Christian Democrat MEPs, Ahern highlighted a constitution clause bringing churches into “open and regular” discussion with EU institutions.

“So if it wasn’t successful in getting the bit in the preamble, which I personally would have liked, I think it was important that we got that new clause,” he said.

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