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Read more about: Bertie Ahern Resigns 
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Interesting bit of news from the Guardian.
Fianna Fáil sources told the Guardian his decision to quit was connected to the Irish referendum on the Lisbon EU treaty. Senior advisers had been worried that the poll would be turned by the opposition into a referendum on his leadership rather than the detail of the treaty.
For most people Bertie Ahern‘s resignation was a massive shock. Mainly because the day before he won a court case against Mahon and all last week he was fighting hard against his coalition partners. He seem to be getting clear of that mess and then bamm. “i’m resigning.”
The timing of it just seems odd. Maybe he just wanted to catch people on the hop a bit make it seem more his choosing then being pushed. But if the Guardian is to believed is their an EU aspect to likely pushers. Or is Bertie Aherns belief in the EU project so great that he wouldn’t even chance the slight risk Lisbon would backfire because of him. Or is there something else in it.
Pure spin on the part of the FF advisers. Both Labour and FG back Lisbon – so in terms of the opposition parties the advisers mention, only SF are against. Also, they’re hardly going to tell the Guardian that it’s over his inability to explain the over €800,000 he received in payments.
With regard to Bertie and the Europe job. Very telling quote from the Polish prime minister in that article you linked to, Simon.
“Ahern would be a serious candidate if he managed to resolve questions over his financial dealings, Klau argued.”
Indeed. He would also still be Taoiseach.