German President Horst Koehler has signed the ratification document for the EU’s Lisbon Treaty, completing the ratification process in Germany, a presidential spokesman said on 25 September.
The Lisbon Treaty, intended to create a more powerful EU leadership, must be confirmed by all member states before it can come into force. Ratification still needs to be completed by Ireland, the Czech Republic and Poland. Ireland votes in a second referendum on the Ttreaty on 2 October, having already rejected it  once last year.  Polish President Lech Kaczynski has held off putting his signature toon ratifying legislation, a. He  sayings he is waiting to see whether the Irish vote in favour of the Lisbon Treaty in their referendum. Ratification by the Czech Republic is being held up by President Vaclav Klaus, who has .  He has said he would not reconsider unless all the other nations have ratified.
Germany’s ratification had been slowed by lawsuits earlier this year and a direction by judges to amend domestic legislation so that it clearly set out when Germany’s parliament must be consulted on EU matters.
Parliament approved the new legislation in September. After the law was printed in the government gazette, Koehler signed the actual ratification document, so it couldan be lodged with treaty officials in Rome.
Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed, on 23 September, the actions of German authorities to ratify the Lisbon Treaty. “This is a major success,” said Merkel in remarks broadcast by Bavarian radio, praising the focus of both chambers of parliament on passing the amended legislation in September despite the distraction of campaigning for this month’s general election.
“I am extremely satisfied,” she added. “I put a huge amount of effort into this Lisbon Treaty and it’s a happy ending to the German presidency which we exercised a while ago in the European Union.”
Two weeks ago, there were fears that Koehler might hold off with his signature while an opponent, Dieter Spethmann, mounted a fresh legal challenge. But the court in Karlsruhe rejected the suit, in a verdict that was also published on 23 September.