The Irish “No” emboldened Euro-skeptics in other member states, not least the irascible Czech president, Václav Klaus, who has signaled that he may refuse to sign the Lisbon Treaty until Ireland’s ratification is secured. With the Czech Republic set to assume the presidency of the EU on January 1, 2009, there is a distinct fear that Klaus will use his position as Czech head of state to try to sabotage efforts to rescue the Lisbon Treaty.