Religion in the Treaty of Lisbon: Aspects and Evaluation

Abstract

Religion is now firmly present in the Treaty of Lisbon. This article analyses whether the presence of religion in this Treaty is a reflection of the religious component of European identity and the successful campaign of the Christian churches. I compare the initial objectives of the churches with the results achieved and pay attention to the identity-related debates which took place when the provision for religion was elaborated and discussed. Although one cannot claim that the churches fully achieved their initial goals, it should be taken into account that they acted in a situation of strong secular resistance. Therefore, the text of the Treaty of Lisbon reflects the struggle between religious and secular actors; however, generally speaking, it provided better opportunities for the churches to exercise their influence on the supra-national European level and confirmed the strong presence of the religious component in European identity.

Keywords:

• Christianity
• Churches
• Lisbon Treaty
• identity
• European Union
• European integration